Two Victoria Royals players are coming home with some serious hardware after helping Canada dominate Sweden 7-0 in the gold medal game at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship.
Forward Cole Reschny and defenceman Keaton Verhoeff played key roles for Team Canada, who skated away with back-to-back gold medals for the first time in the tournament’s history.
Canada didn’t just win—they steamrolled. They scored early and often, applying relentless pressure for a full 60 minutes and never giving Sweden a chance to breathe. By the final buzzer, they had racked up a seven-goal shutout, completely overwhelming the Swedes.
Reschny was especially dangerous throughout the tournament, notching five goals and three assists in just five games. Verhoeff chipped in with a goal and four assists of his own from the blue line. Remarkably, both players missed the first two games while finishing up WHL playoff duties with the Royals, who were eliminated by the Spokane Chiefs in the second round.
But they didn’t miss a beat.
In the gold medal game, Reschny set up Canada’s second goal with a slick backhand feed that led to a tap-in by Brady Martin. It was just one example of the poise and confidence the Royals’ pair brought to the team after joining mid-tournament.
Goaltender Jack Ivankovic continued his lights-out performance with another shutout, while Canada’s defence smothered Sweden at every turn. Even when the Swedes managed some offensive zone time, Ivankovic made them pay—snatching pucks out of the air and robbing any hope they had of a comeback.
The win caps off a dominant run for the Canadians, who also blanked Slovakia in the semifinal and previously beat Sweden in last year’s U18 semis en route to gold.
This year’s win not only cements Canada’s place at the top of the junior hockey world but also showcases the rising talent coming out of Victoria. Reschny and Verhoeff have given Royals fans plenty to be proud of—and plenty to look forward to.
