Canada claimed bronze at the 2026 World Junior Championship with a convincing 6-3 win over Finland on Monday, snapping the country’s longest medal drought since their last podium finish—gold in Halifax back in 2023. Gavin McKenna and Michael Hage each racked up four points in the game, with McKenna notching a goal and three helpers while Hage dished out four assists to finish as the tournament’s top scorer with 15 points. Sam O’Reilly scored twice, and Porter Martone and Braeden Cootes added the others, as Carter George stopped 32 shots to seal the victory. Defenceman Zayne Parekh chipped in a goal and an assist to set a new Canadian record for points by a blueliner at the under-20 showcase with 13 (6+7), edging past Alex Pietrangelo’s 12 from 2010—though Parekh admitted afterward it felt hollow without gold. The bronze offered some consolation after three straight playoff losses to Czechia, including Sunday’s heartbreaking semifinal defeat, but players like Parekh and McKenna made it clear the team came for more than third place. Later that night, Sweden topped Czechia 4-2 in the final for their third title, marking the first all-European gold-medal game in a decade.
Sam O’Reilly opens up the scoring for the Canadians just 1:10 into the game with the assist on the goal going to Michael Hage and Gavin McKenna.-Just 1:10 in, O’Reilly took a backhand feed from Hage on a 2-on-1 and beat Rimpinen with a backhand deke to open the scoring.
Finland ties it up at 3:23 of the first period on a goal from Arttu Valilla and Harvard Universities Heikki Ruohonen- Finland answered at 3:23. Valila – the overtime hero in the 4-3 quarter-final win over the U.S. — cruised in to snap a shot past George’s blocker.
Braeden Cootes who may or may not be traded from Seattle in the next couple days made it a 2-0 game for the Canadians when he scored at 4:57 of the first period. The assists on the goal went to Keaton Verhoeff and Liam Greentree.–Cootes restored Canada’s lead at 4:57 from the slot with his second goal of the tournament.
Finland ties it up again at 11:58 of the first period on the Power Play when Everett Silvertip Julius Miettinen scored with the assist going to Lasse Boelius and Jasper Kuhta- At 11:58, Miettinen’s one-timer from the right faceoff circle, set up by Lasse Boelius, knotted the score again on Finland’s first power play.
Zayne Parekh gices Canada a 3-2 lead while on the Power Play at 18:41 of the first period with the assists on the goal going to Michael Hage and Gavin McKenna.–When Canada enjoyed its first man advantage, Parekh danced in to the top of the left faceoff circle and zinged a shot over Rimpinen’s glove for a 3-2 Canadian lead at 18:41.
Shots on goal in the first period were 14-10 for the Canadians
Porter Martone then made it a 4-2 game for Canada at 1:47 of the second period with the assists on the goal going to Tij Iginla and Zayne Parekh.–In the second period, Martone finished off a nice passing play with Parekh and Tij Iginla at 1:42 for his sixth goal of these World Juniors.
Sam O’Reilly scores for Canada at 5:27 of the second period on the Power Play to make it a 5-2 game for the Canadians. The helpers on the goal went to Gavin McKenna and Michael Hage.–at 5:27, O”Reilly was perfectly placed by the crease to convert McKenna’s slap pass, making it 5-2 Canada on the power play
Harvard’s Heikki Ruohonen scores for Finland at 14:18 of the second period with the assist going to Leo Tuuva.–Ruohonen reduced the gap to two goals, cutting in off right wing to whip one past George at 14:27.
Shots on goal in the second period were 14-8 for Canada
Gavin McKenna scores for Canada at 13:35 of the third period with the assist on the goal going to Michael Hage.–McKenna combined neatly with Hage to put Canada up 6-3, tallying into a gaping cage at 13:35.
Shots on goal in the third period were 17-6 for Finland. Finland outshot Canada in the game 35-34.
Carter George made 32 saves on the 35 shots that he faced for the win for the Canadians. For the Finns Petteri Rimpinen.
Next years tournament is in Edmonton and Red Deer.
