Canada’s Dominance in Zurich
Canada opened its second game in Group B with a commanding 6‑0 victory over Italy, a result that underscored the team’s depth and defensive precision.
Macklin Celebrini was the offensive catalyst, striking twice. His first goal came early in the opening period, a crisp one‑timer fed by Porter Martone that slipped past the Italian netminder. Celebrini added a second in the middle frame, lifting a backhand high into the top corner to cap a swift move, with Sidney Crosby registering an assist.
Sidney Crosby’s contribution came on Celebrini’s second goal, while goaltender Cam Talbot turned away all 19 shots to preserve a clean sheet. The scoring was rounded out by contributions from Dylan Holloway, Fraser Minten, Evan Bouchard and Ryan O’Reilly, who added their names to the scoresheet.
The goal flow was rapid. Holloway and Minten struck just 47 seconds apart midway through the first period, and Bouchard and O’Reilly followed with goals only 25 seconds apart late in the second, turning a comfortable lead into a blowout.
Canada will next face Denmark on Monday, a match that could determine the group’s top seed. Meanwhile, Italy’s return to the top division for the first time since 2022 added a narrative of resurgence, though the team will look to regroup after the loss.
Other Group Action
In Group A, Finland continued its strong start, defeating Hungary 4‑1 in Zurich. Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov set up two of the Finnish goals, highlighting the team’s depth.
Austria opened its campaign with a 5‑2 win over Britain. Peter Schneider scored twice for the Austrians, while Britain answered with goals from David Clements and Liam Kirk, which came just 37 seconds apart in the first period.
Austria extended its lead in the second period before Britain could close the gap, and the final whistle saw the Austrians comfortably ahead. In a tightly contested encounter, Slovakia edged Norway 2‑1, with Marek Hrivik finding the net midway through the third period to secure the victory.