Look away, Toronto: Team Canada pokes at the Marner Big-Game story

Mitch Marner provided the clutch again for Team Canada on Wednesday. After staying relatively quiet through regulation — and adjusting to life without his center, Sidney Crosby, who played just 5:55 before leaving with an injury — the star winger stepped up in the biggest moment, scoring a stunning backhand goal in overtime to seal the quarterfinal victory.

It was the second extra-time winner he has scored for his country in the past year, as we know he achieved another huge win by beating Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off. For a player who has often been the scapegoat for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ playoff shortcomings over the past decade, Marner continues to prove he can improve when it matters most — and his Canadian teammates were quick to bring that up after the game.

Brandon Hagel was the first to push back on the story.

Hagel said:

“I thought he wasn’t a big player? He just showed it to the world,”

New Vegas Golden Knights teammate Mark Stone was equally vocal in his praise, pointing the finger back at Toronto for the criticism Marner received.

said Stone:

“As a teammate, I haven’t experienced that yet. 4 Nations, he gets a huge goal in extra time for us, makes an unbelievable play for the winner. And tonight, when we need him most, he makes the play. So… I think it’s a Toronto thing,”

And of course, head coach Jon Cooper had nothing but praise for Marner, who has consistently come up big for him on the international stage.

said Cooper:

“This is the first, second, three, fourth tournament I’ve coached Mitch and he’s delivered in every tournament and in the biggest moments. He’s the epitome of calmness. I think his heart rate drops when times like this come and that’s how he plays the way he does,”

The 29-year-old Marner increased his tournament total to five points (one goal, four assists) in four games and now ranks fifth among Canadian scorers.

He will be leaned on for the rest of the tournament – perhaps even more so if Crosby can’t return. Cooper clearly relies primarily on his trio of Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini and Nathan MacKinnon, but without his captain the two Golden Knights wingers will be burdened with even more responsibility in the coming games.

Marner and Team Canada will face Team Finland in the semifinals on Friday at 10:40 a.m. EST. A win would set up a potential gold medal showdown against old linemate Auston Matthews and the Americans – a matchup that most of the hockey world hopes to see.

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