Team Canada’s biggest stars looked every bit the part Friday at the 2026 Winter Olympics, beating Switzerland 5-1.
It marked the second straight five-goal performance for Canada, which opened the tournament with a 5-0 win over Czechia. Nathan MacKinnon has scored in both games, as has rookie forward Macklin Celebrini.
Advertisement
Team Canada, coached by Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, improved to 2-0-0 and now sits alone atop the group standings with six points. Sidney Crosby and MacKinnon each finished with three points, while Connor McDavid scored his first Olympic goal as Canada’s top line once again proved difficult to contain.
Lightning forward Brandon Hagel logged 16:24 of ice time, continuing to see steady minutes in a depth role. On the other side, Lightning defenseman J. J. Moser skated 20:25 for Switzerland and recorded one shot on goal, shouldering significant responsibility on the blue line.
© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
“That game was a lot closer than the score made it seem. I tip my cap to Swiss hockey; what they have done with their program over the last decade is impressive, because they are in the medal conversation at every tournament,” said Cooper. “They were a tough test and I am glad we jumped out to a lead, but they pushed us. [Logan Thompson] made some big saves for us and gave us a chance to extend our lead. Ultimately we played back-to-back games against two good countries.”
Advertisement
With the win, Canada controls its path to a first-place finish in Group A. Switzerland and Czechia sit tied with three points each, and their upcoming matchup will determine which nation advances to the quarterfinals.