Beaudoin and Martin spearhead Canada to New Year’s Eve victory
Canada’s two bulldogs spearheaded to victory on New Year’s Eve.
No they’re not literally Brantford Bulldogs but the Barrie Colts’ Cole Beaudoin and the Soo Greyhounds’ Brady Martin got the job done for Canada Wednesday night as they each scored twice in a 7-4 win against Finland.
“You watch this game specifically on New Year’s Eve with your family so it means a lot,” Beaudoin said. “But we couldn’t have done it without my linemates and my team.”
Canada’s top line came out flying as Martin scored twice in a six-goal opening 20 minutes that saw the game tied at 3-3. Then the Beaudoin line – that also consists of the Moncton Wildcats’ Caleb Desnoyers (UTA) and London Knights’ Sam O’Reilly (TB) – took Canada home thereafter as the trio combined for three goals and five assists that saw Beaudoin score the game-winner in the second, give Canada insurance in the third before O’Reilly found the empty-net.
Cole Beaudoin with insurance for 🇨🇦!
His second of the night make its 6-4 in the third! #WorldJuniors @OHLBarrieColts | #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/WZE9Y1PJZe
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) January 1, 2026
“We play heavy and hard,” Beaudoin said. “We play defence first and then we get our chances offensively. We’ve been waiting for our bounces and we got our bounces tonight so it’s good to see it all pay off but we’ve got to keep it up going into the quarters and play the same way.
“It means a lot to keep this going momentum going and crush some more dreams.”
Brady Martin at the double! ❌2⃣
For the third time tonight, 🇨🇦 leads thanks to the @OHLHoundPower captain! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/7D1wr673tb
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) January 1, 2026
It goes without saying that their effort Wednesday did not go unnoticed.
“”That’s what you need in a winning team is depth,” Martin said. “They helped us out a lot tonight. They put two in and the empty-netter as well. To keep that rolling is huge.”
The win meant Canada topped Group B after a 4-0-0 round-robin where they will now meet Slovakia in the quarterfinals. Canada is 16-0-1 all-time against the Slovaks while they have met four times at this stage previously with the most recent in 2023 when Connor Bedard scored the overtime winner in a 4-3 victory.
“We enjoy the win, enjoy tonight and then come back at it,” Martin said. “You have to put it in the past and just keep it going.”
Canada’s 25 goals led all teams in the round-robin but there’s a general consensus they need to tighten things up in their own after they conceded 11 goals in four games.
“I think we’re playing well but there’s a couple of things we need to clean up, probably a few defensive things,” said the Kelowna Rockets’ Tij Iginla. “We’re going in the right direction and we know it’s going to be a test in the quarterfinals, all really good teams left, so we have to keep the train rolling and stayed dialled in.”
As Canada’s game continues to find its groove as the tournament progresses, so has their fan support. The New Year’s Eve game was notoriously loud as Canadian fans flocked to 3M Arena at Mariucci to provide Canada’s stars an extra level of encouragement.
“That atmosphere was crazy out there and it’s going to get louder from here on out,” Martin said. “There’s no place I’d rather be right now than playing hockey and playing for Team Canada.”
Canada’s quarterfinal against Slovakia takes place Jan. 2 at 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT. on TSN.
LIST OF PAST AND PRESENT CHL PLAYERS & STAFF ON CANADA’S 2026 NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM
Goalies (3)
(G) Carter George (Owen Sound Attack / OHL)
(G) Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads / OHL; University of Michigan / NCAA)
(G) Joshua Ravensbergen (Prince George Cougars / WHL)
Defencemen (8)
(D) Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts / OHL)
(D) Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops Blazers / WHL)
(D) Carson Carels (Prince George Cougars / WHL)
(D) Ben Danford (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL)
(D) Ethan MacKenzie (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL)
(D) Zayne Parekh (Saginaw Spirit / OHL)
(D) Cameron Reid (Kitchener Rangers / OHL)
(D) Keaton Verhoeff (Victoria Royals / WHL; University of North Dakota / NCAA)
Forwards (13)
(F) Carter Bear (Everett Silvertips / WHL)
(F) Cole Beaudoin (Barrie Colts / OHL)
(F) Braeden Cootes (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL)
(F) Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL)
(F) Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires / OHL)
(F) Tij Iginla (Kelowna Rockets / WHL)
(F) Jett Luchanko (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL)
(F) Brady Martin (Soo Greyhounds / OHL)
(F) Porter Martone (Brampton Steelheads / OHL; Michigan State University / NCAA)
(F) Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL; Penn State University / NCAA)
(F) Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit / OHL)
(F) Sam O’Reilly (London Knights / OHL)
(F) Cole Reschny (Victoria Royals / WHL; University of North Dakota / NCAA)
Head Coach – Dale Hunter (London Knights / OHL)
Assistant Coach – Brad Lauer (Spokane Chiefs / WHL)
Assistant Coach – Gardiner MacDougall (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL)
Goaltending Consultant – Dan De Palma (Kamloops Blazers / WHL)
Video Coach – Ethan O’Rourke (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL)
Management Group – Mark Hunter (London Knights / OHL)
Athletic Therapist – Terence Robertson (Red Deer Rebels / WHL)
Team Physician – Michael Conrad (Victoria Royals / WHL)
Equipment Manager – Chris Cook (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL)
Equipment Manager – Chris Maton (London Knights / OHL)
Strength and Conditioning Coach – Sean Young (Ottawa 67’s / OHL)
