Captain Cootes picks up two more goals as Canada goes perfect in IIHF World U18 Championship preliminary action

Allen, Texas- 2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward Braeden Cootes (Sherwood Park, Alta. / Seattle Thunderbirds) continued his thunderous reign at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship with a two-goal, one-assist outing against Norway to wrap up round-robin action.

The Canadian Captain also scored the eventual game-winning goal in an 8-1 victory.

Another projected top 2025 NHL Draft pick, Cole Reschny (Macklin, Sask. / Victoria Royals), picked up a goal and two helpers in his second game at the tournament.

Canada is now 4-0 as it continues its gold medal defence.

Fellow draft-eligible Matthew Gard (Winnipeg, Man. / Red Deer Rebels) was the first WHLer on the board with an assist on Ryan Roobroeck’s game-opening goal less than a minute into the opening period.

Cootes followed it up four minutes later with his first lamp-lighter of the evening as he slapped a one-timer past the goaltender from the slot off a neat passing play.

Norway cut the deficit in half before the period was out, but Cootes extended Canada’s lead late in the middle frame as he wheeled around his opponent’s net to centre the puck for Alessandro Di Iorio.

Lev Katzin tickled twine less than a minute later, and Cootes capped off a quick three-goal outburst with a quick wrister on an impressive 4-on-1 break for Canada to take a 5-1 lead into the third period.

Reschny was the star of the third period as he was in on three straight strikes.

Shortly after snagging a secondary assist on Katzin’s second goal of the game, Reschny linked up with fellow WHLer Ben Kindel (Coquitlam, B.C. / Calgary Hitmen) for a spectacular shorthanded marker.

Kindel ripped down the ice on a breakaway and was unable to solve the Norwegian netminder, but Reschny had quickly followed the play to bury the rebound.

The duo linked up again for an all-WHL goal on the powerplay with less than five minutes remaining.

Kindel worked the puck to Reschny on the cycle before the Victoria Royals alternate captain teed up his teammate and WHL Rookie of the Year nominee Keaton Verhoeff (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. / Victoria Royals) for the young defender’s first goal of the tournament.

The WHL contingent combined for four goals and six assists.

Canada has locked up first place in Group A and awaits a to-be-determined opponent in Wednesday’s quarterfinal round.

NOTES

Vit Zahejsky (Plzen, Cze. / Kamloops Blazers) scored and Metej Pekar (Prerov, Cze. / Seattle Thunderbirds) added an assist for Czechia in a 7-3 loss on Monday… Blake Fiddler (Frisco, Texas / Edmonton Oil Kings) and the United States close out round robin play against Germany on Monday night.