Canada is the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup champion! 🇨🇦
Canada overwhelmed the United States 8–1 in Saturday’s gold-medal game at Rogers Place in Edmonton to capture the tournament title.
Gold-medal game
Canada 8, United States 1
Canada completely controlled the championship matchup, turning what had been expected to be a competitive final into a rout. The victory also provided some revenge after recent difficult results against the Americans at this level.
Canada’s road to gold
Canada opened the tournament with a 7–3 victory over Switzerland, with Brock England and Liam Pue each scoring twice.
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadians then advanced through the knockout stage and defeated Finland 6–3 in the semifinal. Canada broke a 2–2 tie with two quick third-period goals before pulling away late.
Tournament takeaway
The championship capped an impressive week for Canada’s U18 program. The combination of scoring depth, offensive pressure and timely goaltending made Canada extremely difficult to contain.
The 8–1 final was the ultimate statement: Canada wasn’t simply the better team on the night—it dominated the Americans from start to finish.
