In a commanding display, Gavin McKenna netted a hat trick as Canada showcased its prowess at the World Junior Championship, overpowering Denmark with a decisive 9-1 victory on Monday night.
Alongside McKenna, Porter Martone contributed significantly with two goals and an assist, while Zayne Parekh, Michael Misa, and Kashawn Aitcheson each scored and set up another. Braeden Cootes rounded off the scoring, adding to Canada’s impressive tally.
Though Carter George faced little in the way of resistance, making only 12 saves, the team’s offensive depth was evident. Brady Martin shone with three assists, while Michael Hage and Caleb Desnoyers added their own contributions with two assists each.
Denmark’s lone response came from Frederick Amondsen, marking their first participation in the men’s under-20 showcase since 2019. Goaltender Patrick Tiedjin was under siege, ultimately making 41 saves to keep the score from being even more lopsided.
Canada, aiming to reclaim its spot atop the podium after facing early exits in the previous two tournaments, improved its historic record against Denmark to 7-0, with an astonishing cumulative score of 59-5. Last week, they had also soundly defeated this same opponent 13-2 in an exhibition match.
Setting their sights on a New Year’s Eve matchup against Finland—critical for securing the top spot in Group B—Canada entered the game on the heels of a rollercoaster 7-5 win over Czechia, followed by a nail-biting 2-1 overtime victory against a stubborn Latvia. This time, however, Canada asserted its dominance early, flipping the momentum in its favor and maintaining control throughout the contest.
McKenna, one of the most touted prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft, opened the scoring on a power play just 3:17 into the first period. Cootes, a promising Vancouver Canucks prospect, doubled the lead with a rising shot at 8:36. Parekh, who has already suited up for the Calgary Flames, extended the lead to 3-0 at 10:03, capitalizing on a rush while Denmark’s Tristan Petersen struggled to return to the bench after losing a skate blade.
Aitcheson delivered a bone-crushing hit on Oliver Larsen, and the first frame concluded with Canada exhibiting a 15-1 shot advantage—a stark reminder of the gulf in talent as Denmark, boasting only one NHL draft pick, struggled to keep pace.
Denmark managed to get on the scoreboard early in the second period, just 28 seconds in, when Amondsen converted a turnover into a well-placed shot over George’s shoulder. However, Canada quickly restored its three-goal cushion as Martone capitalized on a power play at 6:11, echoing a pattern seen in their last encounter at the World Junior Championship in 2018 when they triumphed 14-0 in Vancouver, following an 8-0 shutout the year before.
Tiedjin made a highlight-reel glove save to deny Tij Iginla later in the period, yet McKenna secured his second goal at 15:03, pushing the score to 5-1. Although George had little to do, he made a noteworthy pad save on Anton Linde late in the second frame.
In the third, Misa, selected second overall in the 2025 draft by the San Jose Sharks, scored at 4:41, and McKenna completed his hat trick just 64 seconds later with a deft move around Tiedjin. Aitcheson and Martone added further to the tally in the final stretch.
Canada also made two significant lineup changes: defenseman Keaton Verhoeff made his debut for fellow 17-year-old NHL draft hopeful Carson Carels, while Carter Bear replaced Liam Greentree as the 13th forward. Verhoeff, expected to be a high pick in June, notably switched from goalie to defense at just 12 years of age—a fact that surprised McKenna.
Canadian baseball legend and former Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, who still calls the area home, attended the morning skate and shared inspiring words with the team. “It means so much more when you’re playing for each other,” Morneau reflected, drawing from his own experiences as the third-string netminder for the 1998 Memorial Cup champion Portland Winter Hawks. “I think these guys are pretty good at that.”
US Outlasts Slovakia
In another exciting matchup, Boston College forward James Hagens proved pivotal for the United States, scoring twice in a span of just over a minute to turn a two-goal deficit into a 6-5 victory over Slovakia. With his first goal coming just 45 seconds before the second intermission and the second 18 seconds into the third period, Hagens demonstrated the resilience of an American squad that matched Sweden’s record at 3-0 in Group A.
In an earlier game, Sweden overwhelmed Germany with four power-play goals, cruising to an 8-1 victory. Swedish captain Jack Berglund acknowledged the importance of maintaining discipline, noting that “bad changes or turnovers can be punishing against teams like the US.”
Caleb Heil stood strong in goal for the US, hailing from Victoria, Minnesota, and currently playing for Madison in the USHL. His fellow Minnesotans Brendan McMorrow and Will Zellers added to the score sheet, with McMorrow playing at Denver and Zellers representing North Dakota. Slovakia’s Tomas Chrenko made quite the impact, scoring twice as his team battled valiantly.
Czech Republic Beats Finland in OT
Meanwhile, at the University of Minnesota, Adam Jiricek clinched a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory for the Czech Republic against Finland. The win came after a last-minute equalizer from Emil Hemming for Finland, sending the game into overtime. Finland’s Veeti Vaisanen was put on the sidelines due to a major penalty for cross-checking early in the match, setting the stage for Matej Kubiesa to capitalize on the power play just 46 seconds in.
