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CBC
04-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Canada cruises to 2nd straight U18 world men's hockey title for 1st time
Brady Martin scored twice, netminder Jack Ivankovic stopped 28 shots, and Canada whipped Sweden 7-0 in the under-18 world men's hockey championship gold-medal game on Saturday at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. Xavier Villeneuve, Jackson Smith, Ethan Czata, Braeden Cootes and Jack Nesbitt also scored for Canada, which led 2-0 after the first period and 5-0 heading into the third. Ben Kindel chipped in with a pair of assists. Fourteen players registered at least one point for the champions. The victory gave Canada consecutive gold medals at the under-18 championship for the first time. And Ivankovic, who played this season for the Brampton Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League, went 144 minutes 53 seconds without allowing a goal in Texas. He finished with back-to-back shutouts. Sweden, which was coming off an emotional 4-3 semifinal win over the United States on Friday, didn't appear to have much left in the tank for the aggressive Canadians, who blanked Slovakia 4-0 in Friday's other semifinal. "What a great feeling," said Canadian head coach Cory Stillman. "[It's been a] long season for these guys and you always want to finish the season with a championship with your club team. If that doesn't pan out, you get to represent your country and that's pretty special. "We got better as the tournament went on. Tonight, was the best game we played, and we came out winners." Jackson Smith, who played for the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League this past season, was thrilled to win the gold medal. "This was one of the closest teams I've ever been on," said Smith. "We came together quick, didn't have a ton of time to get to know each other but that didn't matter. It showed out there with how we played tonight, we are truly a team. This is an incredible feeling. "There is nothing better than winning gold for Canada, and to do it twice [2024 Hlinka-Gretzky] is extra special. Hopefully, this is just the start for me and these guys." Ivankovic and Martin were named to the tournament all-star team, an award voted on by the IIHF and tournament directorate. Ivankovic was also named best goaltender of the tournament. Ben Kevan OT hero for Americans Ben Kevan's goal at 5:37 of overtime lifted the United States to a 4-3 victory over Slovakia in Saturday's bronze-medal game. Jan Chovan of Slovakia scored with 6:47 left in the third period to force the extra session. Blake Fiddler, Jacob Kvasnicka and Cole McKinney also scored for the Americans, who led 1-0 after the first period but trailed 2-1 heading into the third. Michal Svrcek scored twice for the Slovakians, who were outshot 33-26.
Winnipeg Free Press
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canada whips Sweden 7-0 to strike gold in U-18 men's world hockey championship
FRISCO – Martin Brady scored twice, netminder Jack Ivankovic stopped 28 shots, and Canada whipped Sweden 7-0 in the Under-18 world men's hockey championship gold-medal game on Saturday at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. Xavier Villeneuve, Jackson Smith, Ethan Czata, Braeden Cootes and Jack Nesbitt also scored for Canada, which led 2-0 after the first period and 5-0 heading into the third. Ben Kindel chipped in with a pair of assists. Sweden, which was coming off an emotional 4-3 semifinal win over the United States on Friday, didn't appear to have much left in the tank for the aggressive Canadians, who blanked Slovakia 4-0 in Friday's other semifinal. UNITED STATES 4 SLOVAKIA 3 (OT) Ben Kevan's goal at 5:37 of overtime lifted the United States to a 4-3 victory over Slovakia in Saturday's bronze-medal game. Jan Chovan of Slovakia scored with 6:47 left in the third period to force the extra session. Blake Fiddler, Jacob Kvasnicka and Cole McKinney also scored for the Americans, who led 1-0 after the first period but trailed 2-1 heading into the third. Michal Svrcek scored twice for the Slovakians, who were outshot 33-26. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 3, 2025.
National Post
29-04-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Another Calgary Flames player heading to world championship
If making the NHL was always Adam Klapka's hockey dream, representing his country was No. 2. Article content Article content Now, after a season that saw him playing on the Calgary Flames first line as they battled for a playoff spot right until the second-to-last game, Klapka's going to make a second dream come true, too. Article content On Tuesday morning, the Flames announced that Klapka will be joining the Czechia national team for the coming IIHF world championship. Article content 'It's a kid's dream for me, back home it's really big,' Klapka said at his exit interview last weekend. 'All the people watching it, all the pubs are full just watching hockey. For me, it was play in the NHL and then under it was playing for worlds. Article content 'If there was an opportunity for me, I would definitely go.' Article content That opportunity did come, and Klapka will now be joining his country's national team for the tournament, which runs from May 9-25 in Stockholm, Sweden, and Herning, Denmark. Article content It's a nice reward for a player who is coming off a breakthrough season in which he established himself as one of the more intriguing pieces of the Flames future. Article content The 6-foot-8, 235-pound winger always has had size, but had played in only six NHL games prior to this season. In 31 games with the Flames in 2024-25, though, he managed six goals and four assists, with three of those lamp-lighters and three of those helpers coming in the Flames' final eight games, when the stakes were at their highest. Article content It's expected that Flames head coach Ryan Huska will be joining Canada's staff, while Mikael Backlund and Rasmus Andersson will play for Sweden, MacKenzie Weegar will be a key part of the Canadian team and Sam Honzek will skate for the Slovakians. Dan Vladar will be joining Klapka on the Czechia team, too. Article content
Calgary Herald
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Another Calgary Flames player heading to world championship
If making the NHL was always Adam Klapka's hockey dream, representing his country was No. 2. Article content Article content Now, after a season that saw him playing on the Calgary Flames first line as they battled for a playoff spot right until the second-to-last game, Klapka's going to make a second dream come true, too. Article content On Tuesday morning, the Flames announced that Klapka will be joining the Czechia national team for the coming IIHF world championship. Article content Article content 'It's a kid's dream for me, back home it's really big,' Klapka said at his exit interview last weekend. 'All the people watching it, all the pubs are full just watching hockey. For me, it was play in the NHL and then under it was playing for worlds. Article content Article content 'If there was an opportunity for me, I would definitely go.' Article content That opportunity did come, and Klapka will now be joining his country's national team for the tournament, which runs from May 9-25 in Stockholm, Sweden, and Herning, Denmark. Article content It's a nice reward for a player who is coming off a breakthrough season in which he established himself as one of the more intriguing pieces of the Flames future. Article content The 6-foot-8, 235-pound winger always has had size, but had played in only six NHL games prior to this season. In 31 games with the Flames in 2024-25, though, he managed six goals and four assists, with three of those lamp-lighters and three of those helpers coming in the Flames' final eight games, when the stakes were at their highest. Article content It's expected that Flames head coach Ryan Huska will be joining Canada's staff, while Mikael Backlund and Rasmus Andersson will play for Sweden, MacKenzie Weegar will be a key part of the Canadian team and Sam Honzek will skate for the Slovakians. Dan Vladar will be joining Klapka on the Czechia team, too. Article content
Edmonton Journal
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Another Calgary Flames player heading to world championship
Article content 'It's a kid's dream for me, back home it's really big,' Klapka said at his exit interview last weekend. 'All the people watching it, all the pubs are full just watching hockey. For me, it was play in the NHL and then under it was playing for worlds. 'If there was an opportunity for me, I would definitely go.' That opportunity did come, and Klapka will now be joining his country's national team for the tournament, which runs from May 9-25 in Stockholm, Sweden, and Herning, Denmark. It's a nice reward for a player who is coming off a breakthrough season in which he established himself as one of the more intriguing pieces of the Flames future. The 6-foot-8, 235-pound winger always has had size, but had played in only six NHL games prior to this season. In 31 games with the Flames in 2024-25, though, he managed six goals and four assists, with three of those lamp-lighters and three of those helpers coming in the Flames' final eight games, when the stakes were at their highest. It's expected that Flames head coach Ryan Huska will be joining Canada's staff, while Mikael Backlund and Rasmus Andersson will play for Sweden, MacKenzie Weegar will be a key part of the Canadian team and Sam Honzek will skate for the Slovakians. Dan Vladar will be joining Klapka on the Czechia team, too.
