Was Canada offside? Explaining Finland's failed challenge on Nathan MacKinnon game-winner originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It's hard for any team to make excuses after seeing a 2-0 lead slip away, but Finland had some gripes with the officials during Friday's Olympic semifinal loss to Canada.
The Finns let up two goals in the third period, including a game-winner from Nathan MacKinnon with 35.2 seconds remaining, and they didn't have the offense to get the elusive goal they needed after jumping out to an early advantage.
Each of Canada's final two goals came with a side of controversy. Finland opted not to challenge for goalie interference on Canada's first goal of the final period, but coach Antti Pennanen pulled the trigger on a challenge after MacKinnon's go-ahead goal late in the game, arguing that Canada was offside.
Here's a look at Finland's challenge and whether MacKinnon's goal should have been overturned.
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Was Canada offside on Nathan MacKinnon goal?
After MacKinnon's go-ahead goal, Finland challenged in hopes officials would call Macklin Celebrini offside and overturn the goal.
Replay showed Finland might have had a case, as the tip of Celebrini's skate was right along the edge of the blue line when the puck crossed into the offensive zone. Here's what it looked like:
Look how close Canada was to being offside before the Nathan McKinnon goal 😱
— Covers (@Covers) February 20, 2026
After review, it was ruled onside.
Did the refs get the call right? pic.twitter.com/oX67MRbwms
Ultimately, officials needed conclusive evidence that Celebrini was not touching the blue line to overturn the goal. It's tough to tell from that image whether Celebrini is definitively past the blue line, and officials had no angle that told them conclusively that the Sharks star was offside. The goal stood as called on the ice.
What is offsides in hockey?
The offsides rule in hockey requires the puck to cross the blue line into the offensive zone before any attacking player does. The rule prevents players from simply waiting near the goal for a long pass.
At least one skate must be touching or behind the blue line when the puck fully crosses into the offensive zone. A player's skate can also hover over the blue line without touching the ice, though this can make replay reviews more difficult.
The rules comes with an exception for possession of the puck. IIHF rules state, "A player actually propelling and in control of the puck, who crosses the line ahead of the puck, shall not be considered offside."
MORE:How Nathan MacKinnon and team Canada mounted a furious comeback to reach the gold medal game
Coaches challenges in hockey
In the Olympics, an unsuccessful coach's challenge gives the other team a power-play. That forces coaches to be particular about when to use a challenge, preventing teams from challenging too often on plays that aren't likely to be overturned.
With 35 seconds remaining, Finland coach Antti Pannanen might have felt he had no choice but to challenge the goal, given the chances of scoring in such a short timeframe are low to begin with. By losing the challenge, however, Finland played the final 35 seconds shorthanded, severely diminishing their chances of scoring a game-tying goal.
MORE:Explaining Olympic hockey rules
Shea Theodore goal controversy
Canada's game-tying goal by Shea Theodore also came with some controversy, though Finland decided it was too much of a risk to challenge the play.
Finland goalie Juuse Saros was clearly contacted by Canada's Brad Marchand, but Marchand was first contacted by Finland's Erik Haula, which might have made it tough to successfully argue interference and get the goal overturned.
However, international rules state an attacking player cannot be parked in the crease at all, regardless of whether or not he makes contact with the goaltender. Upon replay, officials could have found that Marchand was illegally in the crease, though an unsuccessful challenge would have set Canada up with a power-play.
Did Brad Marchand interfere with Juuse Saros?
Marchand certainly came into contact with Saros before Theodore scored, but he appeared to be pushed by Haula. By NHL rules, that would prevent an interference call. By international rules, however, officials could have found Marchand was illegally parked in the crease.
Should Finland have challenged the Canada game-tying-goal for goalie interference? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/9ypqWpnog0
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 20, 2026
After the game, Canada coach Jon Cooper said he did not believe there was interference on the goal. "I had no question that call was going to be made the way it was," he told reporters.
What is goalie interference?
NHL rules state an opposing player cannot make avoidable contact with a goaltender. Goalie interference can still be called as a penalty even if a goal isn't scored.
There is an exception when a player is pushed into the goaltender.
"If an attacking player has been pushed, shoved, or fouled by a defending player so as to cause him to come into contact with the goalkeeper, such contact will not be deemed contact initiated by the attacking player for purposes of this rule, provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact," NHL rules state.
In international play, however, the crease rule states an attacking player cannot be parked in the crease, even if he does not contact the goaltender. Marchand appeared to be pushed into Saros, but Finland could have made the case he should not have been in the crease in the first place.