Jon Cooper’s late call gives Sam Bennett a Team Canada redemption moment

Feb 20, 2026 (1:57 PM)

Photo credit: David W Cerny/Reuters via Imagn Images

Sam Bennett took the heat after a costly penalty, then earned his redemption when Jon Cooper sent him out to seal Canada’s win against Finland.

Canada needed every nerve it had in a 3-2 comeback semifinal, the kind of game that turns one mistake into a national headline.

Earlier, Bennett’s penalty hurt. Finland cashed in, and you could feel the groan through every Canadian feed and group chat.

That’s the tough part of Bennett hockey. He plays on the edge, and sometimes the edge bites back.

But he also played a solid game in the minutes he got, finishing checks, getting under sticks, and keeping shifts honest.

Then came the moment that matters. Cooper called on Bennett for the game-sealing defensive-zone faceoff, trust with the game on the line.

-

That decision tells you how Cooper sees him. Not as a passenger, but as a guy who can handle stress and still do the job.

Bennett didn’t even start this Olympic run as a lock. He was an injury replacement, and now he’s taking closing shifts.

Canadian fans can be ruthless in the moment, but this is the stuff we beg coaches to do, back your player, then let him fight his way out of it.

Cooper has praised Bennett before for rising in big spots, and this was that same belief, just with way more oxygen around it.

In a tight game, that last faceoff is not a throwaway. It’s structure, detail, and nerves, all at once.

It’s also a message to the bench. One penalty doesn’t erase a night’s worth of work if you keep playing the right way.

Canada’s comeback also mattered because they did it without Sidney Crosby, which forced the lineup into a different kind of grind.

That grind is where Bennett helps. He makes space in ugly areas, and he doesn’t blink when the puck is bouncing.

Now Canada heads to the gold medal game Sunday, and the story isn’t just stars scoring late. It’s depth players surviving pressure.

Bennett won’t remember the penalty the way fans did. He’ll remember that Cooper looked down the bench, and picked him anyway.

Previously on Sunrise Hockey Insider

POLL
FEVRIER 20\|36 ANSWERS Jon Cooper’s late call gives Sam Bennett a Team Canada redemption moment Jon Cooper was right to trust Sam Bennett late against Finland?
Yes
No