Verhoeff makes World Juniors debut as Canada downs Denmark

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Canada kept rolling at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship on Monday night, overwhelming Denmark 9–1 to improve to 3–0 in Group B play and set up a highly anticipated New Year’s Eve showdown with Finland.

The win was Canada’s most complete performance of the tournament so far, combining early pressure, disciplined special teams and relentless depth scoring in a game that was largely decided before the first intermission.

Canada struck first on the power play when Gavin McKenna opened the scoring at 3:17 of the first period. With Denmark’s Viggo Damgaard in the box for holding, McKenna worked a crisp give-and-go with Brady Martin and Michael Hage before snapping the puck past Patrick Tiedjen to make it 1–0.

Just over five minutes later, Tij Iginla forced a turnover in the neutral zone and charged into Danish territory, drawing three defenders before slipping the puck to Cootes in the slot.

Cootes made no mistake, wiring it home at 11:36 to double the lead.

The goal also marked the first World Junior point for former Victoria Royals defenceman Keaton Verhoeff, who picked up an assist in his tournament debut.

Canada added a third before the period was out when a broken play left Denmark short-handed in transition. Cole Beaudoin moved the puck to Caleb Desnoyers at the blue line, who quickly found Zayne Parekh in the slot.

Parekh beat Tiedjen cleanly at 9:57, sending Canada to the intermission up 3–0 while outshooting Denmark 15–1.

Denmark briefly showed life early in the second period when Mads Klyvo capitalized on a turnover deep in Canada’s zone, lifting a short-side shot over the shoulder of Canadian goaltender George at 19:32.

It was just Denmark’s second shot of the game, and it did little to change the momentum.

Canada quickly reasserted control on another power play midway through the second. After Parekh absorbed a heavy slash from Amondsen, the top unit went to work.

Michael Misa orchestrated the play from the point, moving the puck through Parekh and across to Porter Martone, who hammered a one-timer under the dot at 13:40 to restore the three-goal cushion.

The floodgates opened in the third period. Misa struck again at 15:15, finishing a slick reverse feed from Martone at the side of the net to make it 6–1.

Just one minute later, McKenna dazzled the crowd with a backhand-forehand move after taking a stretch pass from Hage, completing his hat trick at 14:15.

Canada’s depth continued to shine late with Aitcheson scoring bar-down at 5:44 after sustained pressure from the third line, and Martone followed up just 24 seconds later with his second of the night to cap the scoring at 9–1.

The result was a stark contrast to the teams’ previous meeting just six days earlier in pre-tournament play, when Canada cruised to a 13–2 win in Minnesota.

It also echoed Canada’s last World Junior clash with Denmark on Boxing Day 2018 in Vancouver, a 14–0 Canadian victory.

Monday’s game also marked an important milestone for Verhoeff, who dressed as Canada’s seventh defenceman. The 17-year-old, now a freshman at the University of North Dakota, entered the tournament with four goals and 11 points in 16 NCAA games this season and added a calm, confident presence to Canada’s blue line.

Canada now enjoys a day off before returning to the ice on New Year’s Eve. The National Junior Team will face Finland on December 31st at 5:30 p.m. as the preliminary round winds down at the IIHF World Junior Championship, with first place in Group B still up for grabs.