Canada blanks Czechia in Olympic opener as Binnington posts 26-save shutout
Canada opened its Milano Cortina 2026 men’s hockey campaign with an emphatic 5-0 win over Czechia on Wednesday (ET), powered by Jordan Binnington’s sharp 26-save shutout and a three-assist night from Connor McDavid. The result stakes an early claim in Group A and offers a decisive answer to the pre-tournament goaltending debate.
Binnington quiets the noise in the crease
All eyes were on Canada’s net, and Binnington delivered. Composed and economical, the St. Louis goaltender tracked pucks cleanly, controlled rebounds, and produced a game-turning first-period stop when he sprawled to deny David Kampf on a late backdoor chance. That sequence steadied Canada before the offense found its stride, and it set the tone for a no-doubt shutout. After the final horn, head coach Jon Cooper made clear his confidence hadn’t wavered, pointing to the netminder’s international pedigree and ability to rise on big stages.
McDavid drives the attack; scoring spread across the lineup
Canada’s forward depth showed immediately. Connor McDavid orchestrated the offense with pace and precision, collecting three primary helpers to spring a wave of finishers. The goals came from across the bench: Macklin Celebrini, Mark Stone, Bo Horvat, Nathan MacKinnon and Nick Suzuki all found the back of the net. That distribution underscores the difficulty of game-planning against this roster; denying one line only opens space for another, and McDavid’s transition speed repeatedly stretched Czechia’s defensive structure.
MacKinnon praised the work in goal after the win, noting Binnington’s early saves allowed the skaters to settle into their game. The synergy was evident as Canada layered support through the neutral zone, cut off Czechia’s middle-lane entries, and turned counterattacks into high-danger looks.
Key moments that swung the opener
The critical pivot arrived late in the first period. With the game scoreless and Czechia pressing, Binnington’s diving stop kept it level and energized the Canadian bench. From there, Canada tightened gaps and generated longer offensive-zone shifts, eventually converting as the forecheck hemmed Czechia in. The second period then tilted decisively as Canada’s top end overwhelmed matchups and won the special-teams and faceoff battles that feed possession.
Defensively, Canada’s back end simplified exits and funneled play to the outside, limiting second chances. Thomas Harley’s puck movement helped spring rushes, while the veteran pairings managed Czechia’s heavier cycles and net-front looks to keep Binnington’s sightlines clear.
Czechia leans on Dostal, but can’t break through
On the other side, Lukas Dostal stood tall with 31 saves, keeping the score respectable through two periods. Czechia’s captain Radko Gudas lauded his goaltender’s resilience and suggested the group owed him more support in front. The issue wasn’t initial coverage as much as the cumulative effect of extended Canadian pressure; once the shot volume and slot entries climbed, even a hot goalie couldn’t hold the dam.
Czechia had pockets of push, especially early and during the second period, but lacked consistent inside ice. When they did threaten, Binnington’s rebound control turned would-be scrambles into clean clears. The missed first-period chance by Kampf loomed large as Canada pulled away.
Veteran stars and a rising teen set the tone
Canada blended championship experience with the spark of youth. Sidney Crosby, steady on draws and situational reads, contributed on the setup side, while Celebrini, just 19, flashed poise beyond his years in finishing one of Canada’s best sequences of the night. Mark Stone’s net-front edge work and Horvat’s touch in tight rounded out a forward group that punished mistakes and created their own offense without overextending.
On defense, the balance of mobility and muscle was evident. Canada’s blue line denied the middle, killed plays quickly in the corners, and moved pucks north with pace, fueling the transition game that suits its top centers.
What it means for Group A
It’s one game, but it’s a statement. Canada leaves its opener with a perfect start, a settled crease, and contributions up and down the lineup—an early blueprint for a medal push. The target remains clear: reclaim Olympic gold with NHL players involved, as in 2010 and 2014. The path will get steeper as scouting adjusts and the schedule tightens, but a clean sheet and five different goal scorers are the kind of markers coaches want out of the gate.
For Czechia, the takeaway is equally straightforward: build on the goaltending, find more interior offense, and stay out of track meets against elite speed. Group-stage points are still on the table, but the margin for error narrows after a lopsided opener.
