Canada defeats United States to advance at IIHF World Championship
Team Canada has advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland.
Macklin Celebrini, Dylan Holloway, Connor Brown and Sidney Crosby scored to lead Canada to a 4-0 win over the United States in quarterfinal play on Thursday in Fribourg. It was the first meeting between the two rivals at the men’s level since the gold medal game of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in February.
Canada is looking to medal at the men’s worlds for the first time since winning gold in 2023. They were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Denmark last year and fell to Sweden in the bronze medal game in 2024.
With many National Hockey League stars staying home, the rosters for this latest matchup between the Canadians and Americans looked a lot different than the one in Milan a few months ago. Despite that, it proved to be one of Canada’s Olympians opening the scoring in this game when Celebrini, on a power play, ripped a quick shot past the glove of American goaltender Devin Cooley with just 1:29 remaining in the first period.
The 19-year-old Celebrini, who is Canada’s captain in Switzerland, entered the game in a tie for second in both tournament scoring and goals.
The goal came on Canada’s second man advantage of the game after Ryan Lindgren was given a five-minute major and game misconduct for a check to the head on Evan Bouchard. The Canadians could not convert on that power play.
Canada pressed early in the second period but couldn’t add to their lead – but that would change at 9:48 when Holloway carried the puck into the offensive zone and fired a shot that was blocked. The St. Louis Blues forward collected the rebound and beat Cooley with a low shot to make it 2-0 Canada.
Brown had a great chance late in the period but had his attempt stopped by a diving Cooley. Shots were 14-14 in the middle frame.
Canadian goaltender Jet Greaves made several big stops in the opening half of the third period, which included a blocker save after he had lost his stick. The United States continued to press with Alex Steeves beating Greaves but not the post.
Porter Martone had a great chance for Canada later in the period but was stopped on his breakaway attempt by Cooley’s blocker. A few minutes later, with 1:59 to play, Brown secured the victory by scoring an empty net goal from the neutral zone to make it 3-0. Crosby added another empty netter with 1:19 to go.
Greaves made 34 saves in the shutout win.
With the victory, Canada remains perfect at this year’s men’s worlds. The team went 7-0 in the preliminary round, collecting 20 of a possible 21 points to finish first in Group B. Their lone blemish came when they needed overtime to beat Norway 6-5. Overtime wins only earn two points while regulation victories generate three.
Thursday’s other quarterfinals feature Finland taking on Czechia; Norway battling Latvia; and host Switzerland facing Sweden.
The semifinals will take place Saturday while the bronze and gold medal matches will be held on Sunday. The final two days of the tournament will be played entirely in Zürich.
