Sidney Crosby injured in Canada's game vs. Czechia at Olympics and status unclear for semifinals

MILAN (AP) — Sidney Crosby left Canada’s Olympic quarterfinal game against Czechia in the second period because of injury, did not return and his status for the rest of the tournament is uncertain.

Crosby's right leg appeared to buckle when he braced for contact on a big hit from Czechia defenseman Radko Gudas a few minutes into the second. Laboring as he stayed on the ice, Crosby got crunched into the boards by Gudas and Martin Necas and then left after shaking his right leg and wincing.

The respected 38-year-old captain addressed his teammates at the second intermission, telling them to go get it. Inspired by Crosby and doing so in his absence, Canada rallied to tie it after falling behind with 7:42 left and won in overtime.

“Unfortunately, the game goes on no matter who gets hurt,” said defenseman Drew Doughty, who was teammates with Crosby when Canada won gold at the Olympics in 2010 and '14. "We even mentioned going out before the third, ‘Let’s try to win this one for 87.’ Glad we did.”

Coach Jon Cooper said the message was to make sure this wouldn't be Crosby's final game in Milan. Canada next plays in the semifinals Friday, and 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini did not want to talk about the possibility of not having Crosby moving forward.

“Just keep good thoughts," said Celebrini, who scored for Canada three minutes in and assisted on Marner's OT winner. "Hopefully he’s back in the next game. That’s our leader, our captain and the heart and soul of our team.”

Crosby was getting punished early in the second by Czechia. Ondrej Palat hit Crosby and sent him sliding into the boards, with no penalty called despite the puck not being in the vicinity, and then the big check from Gudas.

“Just trying to play hard — everybody is playing physical,” Gudas said. "Hopefully he’s OK. You never want to see a guy get hurt, especially in these tournaments.’’

Crosby is Canada's oldest and most accomplished player. He scored the famous golden goal in overtime against the U.S. at the 2010 Games in Vancouver to win it all on home ice and was captain when Canada went unbeaten and never trailed on the way to gold in 2014 in Sochi.

Again wearing the “C" in Milan, Crosby had two goals and four assists in three preliminary round games.

“He’s the best in the world, he’s one of the best leaders in the world and it sucks,” Canada winger Tom Wilson said. "But that’s hockey. The next guy’s got to step up, and we’ll regroup and see what’s going on.”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Canada's Sidney Crosby (87) is helped as he leaves the bench after being checked against the boards during the second period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Canada and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Canada's Sidney Crosby (87) is helped as he leaves the bench after being checked against the boards during the second period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Canada and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Czechia's Ondrej Palat (18) checks Canada's Sidney Crosby (87) during the second period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Sidney Crosby is helped as he leaves the bench after being checked against the boards during the second period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Canada and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Canada's Sidney Crosby (87) is hit against the boards by Czechia's Martin Necas (98) and Radko Gudas (3) during the second period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. Crosby went to the dressing room after the play. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council is holding a high-level meeting Wednesday on the Gaza ceasefire deal and Israel's efforts to expand control in the West Bank before world leaders head to Washington to discuss the future of the Palestinian territories at the first gathering of President Donald Trump's Board of Peace.

The U.N. session in New York was originally scheduled for Thursday but was moved up after Trump announced the board's meeting for that same date and it became clear that it would complicate travel plans for diplomats planning to attend both. It is a sign of the potential for overlapping and conflicting agendas between the United Nations’ most powerful body and Trump’s new initiative, whose broader ambitions to broker global conflicts have raised concerns in some countries that it may attempt to rival the U.N. Security Council.

Asked what he hopes to see from the back-to-back meetings this week, Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour told reporters Tuesday, “We expect from the international community to stop Israel and end their illegal effort against annexation, whether in Washington or in New York.”

Ahead of the session, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused the Security Council of being “infected with an anti-Israeli obsession” and insisted that no nation has a stronger right than its “historical and documented right to the land of the Bible.”

In addition to Israel, the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, Jordan, Egypt and Indonesia are in attendance at the monthly Mideast meeting of the 15-member council after many Arab and Islamic countries requested last week that it discuss Gaza and Israel's contentious West Bank settlement project before some of them head to Washington.

The board to be chaired by Trump was originally envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing his 20-point plan for Gaza’s future. But the Republican president's ambitious new vision for the board to be a mediator of worldwide conflicts has led to skepticism from major allies.

While more than 20 countries have so far accepted an invitation to join the board, close U.S. partners, including France, Germany and others, have opted not to join yet and renewed support for the U.N., which also is in the throes of major reforms and funding cuts.

Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., dismissed concerns about the composition of the Board of Peace, telling conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt in an interview Monday that the most relevant countries, including Qatar and Egypt, which are in touch with Hamas' leadership, have accepted the invitation.

“All of those countries are on the Board of Peace, singing the same tune as the United States,” he said.

The Security Council is meeting a day after nearly all of its 15 members — minus the United States — and dozens of other diplomats joined Palestinian ambassador Mansour as he read a statement on behalf of 80 countries and several organizations condemning Israel's latest actions in the West Bank, demanding an immediate reversal and underlining “strong opposition to any form of annexation.”

In the last several weeks, Israel has launched a contentious land regulation process that will deepen its control in the occupied West Bank. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said it amounts to “de facto sovereignty” that will block the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Outraged Palestinians, Arab countries and human rights groups have called the moves an illegal annexation of the territory, home to roughly 3.4 million Palestinians who seek it for a future state.

The U.N. meeting also is expected to delve into the U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal that took effect Oct. 10 after more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas. Briefings by U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo and by Israeli and Palestinian civil society representatives were heard for the first time since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that launched the war.

DiCarlo said this is “a pivotal moment in the Middle East” that opens the possibility for the region to move in a new direction. “But that opening is neither assured nor indefinite,” she said, and whether it will be sustained depends on decisions in the coming weeks.

“Our collective efforts must now consolidate the ceasefire in Gaza and alleviate the suffering of the population,” she said. “We need concrete progress toward stabilization and recovery, consistent with international law, to lay the foundations for lasting peace. The Board of Peace meeting in Washington, D.C., tomorrow is an important step.”

Aspects of the ceasefire deal have moved forward, including Hamas releasing all the hostages it was holding and increased amounts of humanitarian aid getting into Gaza, though the U.N. says the level is insufficient. A new technocratic committee has been appointed to administer Gaza’s daily affairs.

But the most challenging steps lie ahead, including the deployment of an international security force, disarming Hamas and rebuilding Gaza.

Trump said this week that the Board of Peace members have pledged $5 billion toward Gaza reconstruction and will commit thousands of personnel to international stabilization and police forces for the territory. He didn't provide details. Indonesia’s military says up to 8,000 of its troops are expected to be ready by the end of June for a potential deployment to Gaza as part of a humanitarian and peace mission.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn to the White House after arriving on Marine One Monday evening, Feb. 16, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

FILE - The symbol of the United Nations is displayed outside the Secretariat Building, Feb. 28, 2022, at United Nations Headquarters. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)