WHLers combine for seven goals in rout of Slovakia to open 2025 IIHF World U18 Championship

Allen, Texas- Canada’s big guns fired early and often in the team’s opening match at the 2025 IIHF World U18 Championship on Thursday.

2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward and Canada Captain Braeden Cootes (Sherwood Park, Alta. / Seattle Thunderbirds) led the team with two goals and three assists, while the WHL contingent combined for seven goals as Canada downed Slovakia 9-2.

Cameron Schmidt (Vancouver Giants / Prince George, B.C.) opened the scoring with a precision tip in front of the Slovakia net midway through the opening frame and kicked off a five-goal onslaught to end the first period.

Cootes picked up helpers on Schmidt’s tally and Lev Katzin’s second goal for Canada, while Jackson Smith (Calgary, Alta. / Tri-City Americans) batted a bouncing puck off the crossbar and off the back of the Slovak netminder to make it 3-0.

Red Deer Rebels forward Matthew Gard (Winnipeg, Man.) shined in his first-ever game for Canada and lit the lamp with a powerplay deflection late in the frame.

Canada capped off the first with a 5-0 lead after Cootes teed up WHL Rookie of the Year nominee Ryan Lin (Richmond, B.C. / Vancouver Giants) for a late strike off an odd-man rush.

Schmidt flexed his powerplay mastery in the second by dangling through a series of defenders before deking the goaltender for a slick backhand to put the game well out of reach for Slovakia in the second period.

Another Rookie of the Year nominee, Lukas Sawchyn (Grande Prairie, Alta. / Edmonton Oil Kings), garnered his first point of the tournament with an assist late in the third.

Not content to exit the night with a trio of assists, Cootes ended the scoring with two goals in 85 seconds, including a rip from the slot.

Canada continues its title defence on Friday, April 25 with a 6:00 p.m. MST puck drop against Latvia.

NOTES

NHL Draft eligible blueliner Blake Fiddler (Frisco, Texas / Edmonton Oil Kings) scored once and added an assist in his hometown to lift the United States to a 4-2 win over Czechia… The WHL’s projected top pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, Radim Mrtka (Havlickuv, Cze. / Seattle Thunderbirds) and Vit Zahejsky (Plzen, Cze. / Kamloops Blazers) lit the lamp for the Czechs against the U.S.. Zahejsky has a second goal against Germany, while Saskatoon Blades forward David Lewandowski earned an assist in a 4-3 win for the Germans.