Crosby’s status remains unclear for Olympic final: ‘We have 48 hours to decide that’

It remains unclear if Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby will be available to play after Canada clinched a trip to Sunday’s gold-medal game on Friday.

Crosby did not dress in the 3-2 semifinal victory over Finland, skating earlier in the day to test the lower-body injury he sustained in the quarter-final win over Czechia.

“We have 48 hours to decide that, but I will tell you he’s got a better chance of playing in the gold-medal game than he had playing in tonight’s game,” Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper said post-game.

With Crosby out of the lineup, Connor McDavid wore the “C” for Canada against Finland, posting two assists in the comeback victory.

“Just keeping it warm for Sid,” McDavid said post-game, with multiple players noting Crosby played a leadership role in the locker room between periods Friday.

Crosby, who has two goals and six points in four games at the tournament, was hurt when his leg bent in an unnatural direction after taking a hit from Czech defenceman Radko Gudas.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist got back to his skates, but wasn’t moving well before receiving more contact along the boards from Gudas and Czech forward Martin Necas.

Crosby then made his way to the bench and eventually walked gingerly to the locker room with Canada’s medical staff, and did not return to the action.

Sam Bennett, who was scratched from Canada’s quarter-final win while dealing with an illness, dressed in Crosby’s place Friday. He has one assist in four games at the tournament, but found success on a line with Tom Wilson and Brad Marchand against Finland.

Defenceman Josh Morrissey missed a fourth straight game on Friday and it remains unclear if he will be available for the final.

The gold-medal game is set for Sunday morning at 8:10 a.m. ET/5:10 a.m. PT.