The 2026 IIHF World Hockey Championship is underway in Switzerland, and early results are already shaping expectations for the tournament.
Cozens Leads Canada's Attack
Dylan Cozens, a forward for the Ottawa Senators, opened the scoring in a 5‑1 victory over Slovakia, a result that propelled Canada to the top of Group B with 17 points.
Finland’s defensive core, anchored by Nikolas Matinpalo, helped the team secure two wins over the weekend, moving them into a dead‑heat with Switzerland at the summit of Group A with 18 points.
Søgaard’s Shutout and Shootout Heroics
Mads Søgaard, representing Denmark, posted a 4‑0 shutout against Slovenia and later contributed to a 3‑2 shootout win over Italy, finishing the preliminary round with a 2.70 goals‑against average and a .901 save percentage.
Denmark will close out the group stage with a match against Germany, a fixture that could determine final seeding before the knockout rounds.