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Tis the season!
It’s Boxing Day in Canada, and with it comes the start of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Team Canada opened their 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship with a hard-fought 7–5 victory over Czechia in Minnesota shaking off last year’s heartbreak and setting the tone early in the tournament.
The win carried extra meaning on Vancouver Island, with two former Victoria Royals — Cole Reschny and Keaton Verhoeff — named to the Canadian roster.
Verhoeff did not dress for the opener due to a registration issue with the IIHF, but Reschny played a role in the result, finishing the game with an assist.
Canada entered the tournament opener eager for redemption. The last time the two countries met at the World Juniors, Czechia stunned the Canadians in the 2025 quarterfinals in Ottawa with a late power-play goal, eliminating the hosts in front of a packed home crowd.
This time, the Canadians found a way to finish. After a scoreless opening stretch, Brady Martin broke through midway through the first period, snapping home Canada’s first goal of the tournament off a quick passing sequence involving Michael Hage and Gavin McKenna.
Czechia responded late in the frame, but Hage answered just 37 seconds later with a wrist shot that clipped the crossbar and went in, giving Canada a 2–1 lead after one.
The second period swung back and forth.
Czechia briefly grabbed its first lead on goals from Vojtech Cihar and Petr Sikora, capitalizing on defensive breakdowns, before Zayne Parekh restored order with a point shot that found its way through traffic.
The teams headed into the third period deadlocked 3–3.
The final 20 minutes delivered the drama expected from two long-time rivals.
Tomas Poletin scored his second of the game to tie it at four early in the third, but Tij Iginla responded moments later, rifling home Canada’s fifth goal to swing momentum back to the Canadians.
Ethan extends our advantage! ✌️
MacKenzie augmente notre avance! ✌️#WorldJuniors | #MondialJuniorpic.twitter.com/TPZJxoeMNA
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) December 27, 2025
Rhan MacKenzie added a crucial goal midway through the period to give Canada some breathing room, and while Czechia pulled within one late, Canada sealed the result with an empty-net goal in the final minute.
Canada finished with a 7–5 victory, opening its World Junior campaign with confidence and pace in a game that showcased both offensive firepower and resilience.
The Canadians now turn their attention to their next matchup against Latvia on Saturday afternoon, looking to build on a tournament-opening win.
