World Championship Recap - 28.05.26

Zach Whitecloud and Olli Määttä are on a collision course at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, after a Canada-Finland semi-final matchup was confirmed Thursday in Switzerland.

Canada 4, United States 0

Whitecloud collected his first point of the tournament, earning an assist on Connor Brown's empty-netter as Canada punched its ticket to the semi-final with a 4-0 shutout win over the United States.

The Flames defender earned the primary helper on the first of Canada's two empty-net markers, while Macklin Celebrini and Calgarian Dylan Holloway scored in the first and second period, respectively, to stake the Canadians to a lead they would not relinquish.

Whitecloud also collected two penalty minutes in the game.

On the other side of the coin, forward Matt Coronato led all skaters with nine shots on goal for the Americans, finishing his stay at the Worlds with a goal and two assists in eight games.

Devin Cooley got the start in goal for the U.S. and was named his side's Player of the Game, turning aside 34 of the 36 shots that came his way. He posted a 1.76 goals-against average and .930 save percentage across six appearances at the tournament.

Finland 4, Czechia 1

Määttä finished +2 with one shot on goal and two penalty minutes as the Finns advanced to the semi-final round by virtue of a 4-1 win over the Czechs. Sakari Manninen and Anton Lundell scored first-period goals before Sabres forward Konsta Helenius broke the game open with a marker 1:35 into the middle stanza.

Canucks defenceman Filip Hronek offered the lone reply for Czechia - a powerplay marker that came as Määttä was serving a roughing minor - as Finland's Justus Annunen parried aside the other 25 shots that he faced between the pipes.

The semi-final round is set for Saturday. Norway will take on Switzerland in the opener at 7:20 a.m. MT before Whitecloud, Ryan Huska and Canada face Määttä and Finland at 12:00 p.m. MT.