Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand make a surprising confession after the semifinal win against Finland
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Jonathan Ouimet
Feb 20, 2026 (3:45 PM)
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Photo credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett say Team Canada felt calmer vs Finland, and Niko Mikkola’s late penalty ended Finland’s dream.
That’s a wild thing to admit after the Czechia game, but it rings true if you watched the body language.
Against Czechia, the bench looked tight, like everyone knew one bad bounce could ruin the tournament.
Against Finland, the energy was different, even after going down 2-0.
Marchand put it plainly: “It felt like we were creating a little more tonight than we did against the Czechs.”
Bennett’s quote fits the comeback script: “We played harder when we got down.”
That’s not just talk. Canada pushed and eventually pulled out a 3-2 win on a late power play goal.
Now here’s the Panthers wrinkle that makes this whole thing sting for Finland.
Sam Bennett is a Florida Panthers forward, and his identity is built for games that get nasty and tight.
Niko Mikkola is also a Panther, and he’s the guy who took the late high-sticking penalty that opened the door.
That one moment flipped the last minute from “Finnish upset” to “Canadian inevitability.”
Nathan MacKinnon buried the winner with 35.2 seconds left, and the bench looked like it could finally breathe again.
Sam Bennett helps Team Canada handle the pressure
You could feel the Canadian fan mood shift midgame, from anxious doom to that familiar belief that the dam will break.
Bennett isn’t on this roster to be cute. He’s there to take hard minutes, win ugly seconds, and keep the bench engaged when the game turns into a grind.
The funny part is that his own NHL teammate was the one who blinked at the worst possible time.
That’s hockey, and it’s also why these quotes matter, nerves are real, but so is response.
If Canada brings that Finland bench energy into Sunday, the opponent won’t just be facing talent, they’ll be facing a group that finally looks comfortable in the storm.
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