Canada Holds Off Sweden 5-3 to Start World Championship Strong

Canada downs Sweden in goal-filled World Championship start

Tavares, O’Reilly and Cozens scored as Canada opened Group B with a 5-3 win over Sweden in Fribourg. Martone had two assists in the high-scoring clash.

After trading goals through two periods, Canada pulled away late in the third. The Canadians next face Italy on May 16th...

Canada did just enough to edge past Sweden 5-3 in the opening Group B game of the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship in Fribourg, Switzerland.

It was the same scoreline as when the two sides met in last year’s group stage, but the outcome differed this time around. In 2025, Sweden went on to take bronze while Canada’s run ended in the quarter-finals.

Canada struck inside the first two and a half minutes. Robert Thomas skated the puck out of his own zone and into Sweden’s end, slipped it to Darnell Nurse, and Nurse quickly moved it across for John Tavares to bury a one-timer on the left.

First 2026 #MensWorlds win in Fribourg goes to @hockeycanada! 👏🇨🇦 #IIHF

🔗 Game recap: https://t.co/GFQvxLihUz pic.twitter.com/1BeLCEJjvp

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 15, 2026

Less than a minute later Sweden had a chance to hit back after Denton Mateychuk was called for tripping, but they couldn’t convert on the power play. With eight minutes left in the period, Tre Kronor thought they’d scored when a Robert Hagg shot from the point was tipped in by Ivar Stenberg. After a long video review, the goal was waved off for a high stick. Stenberg’s luck didn’t improve - another review found him guilty of cross-checking on the same play.

Sweden killed that penalty, but it didn’t help for long. Back at full strength, they fell 2-0 down at the 16-minute mark. Morgan Rielly and Gabriel Vilardi both went close before Ryan O’Reilly poked the puck home in a scramble.

Neither team made use of a power play on either side of the first intermission. Sweden finally got on the board nine minutes into the second period after sustained pressure. Jack Berglund fed Jacob Larsson on the left, and Larsson set himself before firing it home.

Less than three minutes later the game was level again. Zach Whitecloud went to the box for tripping, and this time Sweden made it count almost immediately. Oliver Ekman-Larsson set up Lucas Raymond, who scored with a finish nearly identical to Larsson’s.

The tie lasted just three minutes before Dylan Holloway cut in from the right and found space in the Swedish zone to put Canada back ahead. But the Swedes answered again soon after, with Linus Karlsson dropping the puck back for Mattias Ekholm to blast one through traffic from the corner to make it 3-3.

That was the last of Sweden’s momentum under Sam Hallam. Canada went ahead again four minutes into the third when Porter Martone threaded a perfect pass across the crease to Connor Brown, who tapped it past Magnus Hellberg.

Martone struck again with seven minutes left, sending Dylan Cozens in alone to squeeze home Canada’s fifth despite defensive pressure. The goal ended Sweden’s hopes of a comeback, sealing a 5-3 win for Canada.

Canada will aim to keep the momentum going against Italy on May 16th. Sweden return to action the next day against Denmark.

Canada built early leads and held off Sweden’s comeback to win 5-3. Both sides traded goals in a fast-paced Group B opener in Switzerland.