Wheaties’ Jacobson scores twice, Canada bags second-straight shutout at 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship
Trencin, Slovakia- Western Hockey League skaters combined for eight points as Canada routed Norway 8-0 in their third match of the 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship.
Canada’s second-youngest player, Brandon Wheat Kings star Jaxon Jacobson, came up big with two goals in his first appearance of the tournament, and OHL standout Dima Zhilkin netted a hat trick.
Beckett Hamilton (Saskatoon, Sask. / Red Deer Rebels) scored the first of the game- and his first-ever goal for Team Canada- after kicking a pass from Ryan Lin (Richmond, B.C. / Vancouver Giants) to his stick and lofting it past the Norwegian netminder.
The 5-foot-11, 173-pound winger is ranked 33rd by NHL Central Scouting in the agency’s final list ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.
🇨🇦 has its first against 🇳🇴! @Rebelshockey 2026 #NHLDraft prospect Beckett Hamilton gets his first of the #U18MensWorlds! pic.twitter.com/4LXwEvoeWI
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 25, 2026
Lin (NHL CSS: 16) teamed up with his Giants teammate Mathis Preston (Penticton, B.C.) to set up Dima Zhilkin (Saginaw Spirit / OHL) for a powerplay redirect to double the lead in the first period.
Preston (NHL CSS: 32) picked up his second helper of the night on a Tynan Lawrence goal to make it 3-0 Canada after 20 minutes.
In the second, Jaxon Jacobson (Brandon, Man. / Brandon Wheat Kings) received a cross-ice pass from Victoria Royals alumnus Keaton Verhoeff and ripped a quick wrister five-hole to make a statement in his first game of the tournament.
Into the line-up and onto the scoresheet!
The @bdnwheatkings' 2027 #NHLDraft prospect Jaxon Jacobson has 🇨🇦's fourth! #U18MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/kSYzSyOKG8
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 25, 2026
Zhilkin capped off the hat trick in the second period to make it a 5-0 game, and the WHL contingent capped off the scoring in the final frame.
Jacobson bagged his second goal of the night with a quick pickup on a powerplay rebound.
The 5-foot-11, 181-pound forward isn’t eligible for the NHL Draft until 2027 because of his December birthday.
That's ✌️ for the @bdnwheatkings' Jaxon Jacobson!
The 2027 #NHLDraft pick buries a rebound on the 🅿️🅿️ and it's 7-0 🇨🇦! #U18MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/HgxWJXnX1M
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 25, 2026
Zach Olsen (Calgary, Alta. / Saskatoon Blades) scored his second goal of the tournament to close things out by jumping by his check in the neutral zone, carrying the puck in on a two-on-one, and snapping the puck top corner.
He’s clocked in at 36th among North American Skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings.
"Zach Olsen is somebody that's certainly grabbed the attention of NHL scouts."
That's goals in two straight games for the @BladesHockey's 2026 #NHLDraft prospect! #U18MensWorlds 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/ZMC1Di75Nu
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 25, 2026
Canada (2-0-0-1) closes out the group stage against Finland (2-0-0-0) on Monday, April 27, at 6:00 a.m. MT.
NOTES
Tri-City Americans defenceman Jakub Vanecek (NHL CSS: 31) scored in his second straight game as Czechia downed Germany 3-2 in overtime… Wenatchee Wild blueliner Darian Rolsing (NHL CSS: 138) earned the primary assist on Germany’s game-tying goal in the third period to force the extra frame.
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