Canada's Beckett Hamilton slots home his second goal of the game against Finland at the 2026 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship in Trencin, Slovakia.
photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / CHRIS TANOUYE
Look after the puck. Win the face-offs. Limit the opposition to low percentage shots. Do all this, and you should win most games.
But not today. Finland had more possession in the first period against Canada, was dominant on the draw … and trailed 0-4 at the first intermission. Canada’s first three goals came off an xG of 0.88, suggesting an offence making the most of every half chance that presented itself.
“We had a couple of lucky ones, we can’t complain,” said Beckett Hamilton, who scored twice in that opening frame. “But we played a good first and third and the chances came for us for a good reason.”
The start laid the foundation for a big win over a previously undefeated Finland that was looking to secure top spot in Group A with victory on Monday afternoon. Hamilton and Mathis Preston had two goals apiece and Dima Zhilkin potted his fifth of the tournament after a hat-trick in his previous game.
While the stats tell one story, they overlook a key factor – precision and execution. When Canada got chances it made them stick. After two minutes, Adam Valentini opened the scoring, spotting a chance to shoot early and catching Pyry Lammi off guard in the Finnish net. The Canadian forward found the tightest of lanes between Juho Piiparinen and Thomas Vandenberg to open the scoring.
“I don’t think we reached our level today,” said Finland’s Paavo Fugleberg. “There was only one team on the ice in the first and third period. If you play like that against Canada, then it’s 7-0.”
The second goal, on 11:07, was a triumph of persistence. Hamilton saw his initial shot go wide but chased it down behind the net. A hopeful play back to the slot struck goal as a deflection took the puck under Lammi’s pad and in.
The Finns had more conventional scoring chances: Saarimaki’s point shot tipped just wide by Laitinen, a weaving solo surge by Fugleberg. But Canada kept getting the goals. Preston added a third, taking Callum Croskery’s pass down the left channel and shooting through the corridor of uncertainty created by Valentini’s astute positioning.
And soon before the intermission, Hamilton potted his second of the game after Finland gave up a turnover in its own zone and Canada pounced to give the Red Deer Rebels forward a shot from tight angle on 18:21.
“The start of the game was not what we wanted,” added Fugleberg. “They scored a few goals and then they had control. It’s difficult to come back from that.”
Finland needed a fast start in the second period, and almost got it after two minutes. Oliver Suvanto’s feed from behind the net found Vilho Vanhatalo with a great look at Gavin Betts. But the Canadian goalie got behind the shot and that proved to be as close as the Finns would come in the middle frame. Canada played the situation well, resisting the temptation to go harum-scarum in search of more goals and making it hard for Tuomo Ropo’s players to turn possession into opportunity.
Strange as it seems to talk up the defence in a 7-0 win, Canada impressed at both ends. “You look at [goalie Gavin] Betts, who was incredible tonight,” said Keaton Verhoeff. “I think all around our group we played our game. For us this is just another step. All tournament we’ve been growing and getting better as each game goes on and that’s the biggest thing for us.”
And a difficult afternoon got even worse for them at the start of the third. Preston and Zhilkin struck in the first five minutes of the frame, chasing Lammi from his net in favour of Oskari Ahmajarvi. The incoming goalie was beaten on 48:08 when Ryan Lin added a seventh.
Finland’s best chance of denying Betts a shut-out came with five to play when Maddox Dagenais was assessed only the second penalty of the game. But the penalty kill was solid, and Canada closed out the game to move into the playoffs buoyed by an emphatic 7-0 scoreline.
“I think we need to forget this one and look forward,” Fugelberg said. “We know we can beat anybody. We need to trust ourselves and play like we can.”
In a happier Canadian camp, Verhoeff concluded: “It’s good for us, we just going to go over the game, review and see what we can do better. Recover tonight and tomorrow and get ready for the next one.”
But not today. Finland had more possession in the first period against Canada, was dominant on the draw … and trailed 0-4 at the first intermission. Canada’s first three goals came off an xG of 0.88, suggesting an offence making the most of every half chance that presented itself.
“We had a couple of lucky ones, we can’t complain,” said Beckett Hamilton, who scored twice in that opening frame. “But we played a good first and third and the chances came for us for a good reason.”
The start laid the foundation for a big win over a previously undefeated Finland that was looking to secure top spot in Group A with victory on Monday afternoon. Hamilton and Mathis Preston had two goals apiece and Dima Zhilkin potted his fifth of the tournament after a hat-trick in his previous game.
While the stats tell one story, they overlook a key factor – precision and execution. When Canada got chances it made them stick. After two minutes, Adam Valentini opened the scoring, spotting a chance to shoot early and catching Pyry Lammi off guard in the Finnish net. The Canadian forward found the tightest of lanes between Juho Piiparinen and Thomas Vandenberg to open the scoring.
“I don’t think we reached our level today,” said Finland’s Paavo Fugleberg. “There was only one team on the ice in the first and third period. If you play like that against Canada, then it’s 7-0.”
The second goal, on 11:07, was a triumph of persistence. Hamilton saw his initial shot go wide but chased it down behind the net. A hopeful play back to the slot struck goal as a deflection took the puck under Lammi’s pad and in.
The Finns had more conventional scoring chances: Saarimaki’s point shot tipped just wide by Laitinen, a weaving solo surge by Fugleberg. But Canada kept getting the goals. Preston added a third, taking Callum Croskery’s pass down the left channel and shooting through the corridor of uncertainty created by Valentini’s astute positioning.
And soon before the intermission, Hamilton potted his second of the game after Finland gave up a turnover in its own zone and Canada pounced to give the Red Deer Rebels forward a shot from tight angle on 18:21.
“The start of the game was not what we wanted,” added Fugleberg. “They scored a few goals and then they had control. It’s difficult to come back from that.”
Finland needed a fast start in the second period, and almost got it after two minutes. Oliver Suvanto’s feed from behind the net found Vilho Vanhatalo with a great look at Gavin Betts. But the Canadian goalie got behind the shot and that proved to be as close as the Finns would come in the middle frame. Canada played the situation well, resisting the temptation to go harum-scarum in search of more goals and making it hard for Tuomo Ropo’s players to turn possession into opportunity.
Strange as it seems to talk up the defence in a 7-0 win, Canada impressed at both ends. “You look at [goalie Gavin] Betts, who was incredible tonight,” said Keaton Verhoeff. “I think all around our group we played our game. For us this is just another step. All tournament we’ve been growing and getting better as each game goes on and that’s the biggest thing for us.”
And a difficult afternoon got even worse for them at the start of the third. Preston and Zhilkin struck in the first five minutes of the frame, chasing Lammi from his net in favour of Oskari Ahmajarvi. The incoming goalie was beaten on 48:08 when Ryan Lin added a seventh.
Finland’s best chance of denying Betts a shut-out came with five to play when Maddox Dagenais was assessed only the second penalty of the game. But the penalty kill was solid, and Canada closed out the game to move into the playoffs buoyed by an emphatic 7-0 scoreline.
“I think we need to forget this one and look forward,” Fugelberg said. “We know we can beat anybody. We need to trust ourselves and play like we can.”
In a happier Canadian camp, Verhoeff concluded: “It’s good for us, we just going to go over the game, review and see what we can do better. Recover tonight and tomorrow and get ready for the next one.”
Finland vs Canada - 2026 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship
OF