Hamilton scores twice, Canada blanks Finland at 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship
Trencin, Slovakia- After suffering a 2-1 upset at the hands of host Slovakia in their opening match, Canada has stormed back with three straight shutout wins at the 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship.
The Western Hockey League contingent combined for nine points to blank Finland 7-0 on Monday morning.
Beckett Hamilton and Mathis Preston each scored twice, while Ryan Lin led the way with a goal and two assists.
Lin (Richmond, B.C. / Vancouver Giants) and former Victoria Royals star Keaton Verhoeff teed up Adam Valentini for the game’s opening goal just over two minutes into the match.
The dynamic defenders are ranked 16th and fourth, respectively, among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting in its final release ahead of the 2026 Draft.
Hamilton (Saskatoon, Sask. / Red Deer Rebels) doubled the lead just past the halfway mark of the first period by collecting his own rebound off a shot in the slot, carrying the puck behind the net and banking it in off the Finnish goaltender.
Early morning banking! 🏦
The 33rd ranked skater for the 2026 #NHLDraft, @Rebelshockey's Beckett Hamilton grabs his second of the #U18MensWorlds! 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/3pEWuCvmQa
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 27, 2026
Lin’s Giants teammate, Mathis Preston (Penticton, B.C. / NHL CSS: 32), made it a 3-0 game by wheeling up the left wing and wiring a shot through traffic to the top shelf.
Pinpoint shot🎯
The @WHLGiants' Mathis Preston has his second of the #U18MensWorlds and 🇨🇦's third of the first period! pic.twitter.com/gPU7e4dUu4
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 27, 2026
Hamilton, who is ranked 33rd among all NA skaters, closed out the period with his second goal of the night and third of the tournament, courtesy of a pretty setup from Lin.
Lin picked off an attempted Finnish breakout pass in their own zone and barreled in on the net before feeding Hamilton for a low shot at the last moment.
Hamilton now has three goals for Canada in his first turn representing his country on the IIHF stage.
Beckett Hamilton at the double!
A @TheWHL connection as the @WHLGiants' Ryan Lin finds the @Rebelshockey forward for 🇨🇦's fourth of the first period! #U18MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/f5o5vq0onJ
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 27, 2026
With Canada holding a 4-0 lead entering the third period, Preston amped it up with a one-timer from inside the faceoff dot off a Verhoeff setup for his second strike of the night.
Five for 🇨🇦!
A second of the day for the @WHLGiants' 2026 #NHLDraft prospect Mathis Preston! #U18MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/r9NTJ3c1pz
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 27, 2026
Dima Zhilkin (Saginaw Spirit / OHL) bagged his tournament-leading fifth goal as the game marched on, and Lin capped off a standout night with a wraparound to make it a 7-0 game.
This is why Ryan Lin will be one of the first defencemen selected at the 2026 #NHDraft! 🤩
The @WHLGiants star wraps home his first of the #U18MensWorlds! 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/eq9XS8WEub
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 27, 2026
Canada’s 3-0-0-1 and 22:2 goals for/against split has the reigning gold medalists sitting first in Group A for the time being, and will await the conclusion of Slovakia’s final preliminary round game before meeting their first playoff opponent.
(Cami Kepke)
