Canada wins bronze medal at 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship
Canada has won the bronze medal at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship after defeating Finland 6-3 in the third-place game Monday at Grand Casino Arena.
Gavin McKenna finished with a goal and three assists, while Michael Hage recorded four helpers.
Hage led the tournament with 15 points. His 13 assists are the second-most by a Canadian in a single tournament, trailing only Connor Bedard (14 in 2023).
Zayne Parekh had a goal and an assist to set a pair of Canadian records – most points by a defenceman at a World Juniors (13), surpassing Bryan McCabe (1995) and Alex Pietrangelo (2010), and most goals by a defenceman at a World Juniors (5).
“We came into today a little down, obviously, but we worked hard to get our heads in the right place and come to work like any other day,” Parekh said following the game. “After the first 20 minutes, we said to each other – why not? Let’s do this for the country and we got the job done. It’s bittersweet for me when you talk about the record, because you want to win [a gold medal] and today was tough, but I’m proud of the group, and those are friends for life.”
Since 1977, Canada has won 20 gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship, along with 10 silver and six bronze. The 2027 championship will be held in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.