The quarterfinal match between Canada and the Czech Republic was marked by drama as a significant refereeing error almost cost Canada their place in the tournament. With the Czechs leading 3-2, Ondrej Palat scored in the third period, taking advantage of what would turn out to be a major oversight by the officials. It was revealed that during the play, the Czech team had an illegal number of players on the ice, as they had six skaters in a critical defensive moment, which should have resulted in a stoppage or penalty. This critical mistake went unnoticed by the players on the ice, the referees, and even the Czech players themselves, who were oblivious to the situation despite the imminent violation.