Canada Defeats Sweden 5–3 to Top Group A at 2025 IIHF World Championship

May 20, 2025 News Room 0 Comments 1 min read

MacKinnon and Celebrini lead the charge as Canada secures quarterfinal spot against Denmark

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN — Team Canada concluded the preliminary round of the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship with a 5–3 victory over co-host Sweden on Tuesday at Avicii Arena. The win propels Canada to the top of Group A and sets up a quarterfinal matchup against Denmark on Thursday.

Nathan MacKinnon led the Canadian offense with a goal and two assists, while 18-year-old Macklin Celebrini continued his impressive tournament with a highlight-reel goal.

Canada wasted no time, with Travis Sanheim scoring just 18 seconds into the game. Tyson Foerster and Ryan O’Reilly added goals in the first period, giving Canada a 3–1 lead.

Sweden responded with goals from Elias Lindholm, Marcus Johansson, and Rasmus Andersson, but Canada’s balanced attack and solid defense secured the win.

With this victory, Canada finishes the preliminary round with a 6–0–1 record, while Sweden drops to 5–0–2. The quarterfinals begin on Thursday, with Canada facing Denmark and Sweden taking on Czechia.

For a visual recap of the game, watch the highlights below: