Team Canada didn’t ease into the Winter Olympics in Milan. With NHL players back on Olympic ice for the first time since 2014, the Canadians opened the preliminary round by flattening Czechia 5-0 on Thursday — a scoreline that matched how the game felt.
The first breakthrough came from the tournament’s youngest player. Macklin Celebrini opened the scoring late in the first period, getting his stick on a point shot from Cale Makar and redirecting it home. It turned out to be the game-winning goal, and it instantly set the tone for Canada’s night: pace, pressure, and depth.
Nathan MacKinnon thought he’d scored earlier in the first period, but a hooking penalty to Nick Suzuki erased the goal. Canada didn’t blink. It simply kept pushing the play forward, turning each Czech breakout into another long shift in their own end.
The second period turned the opener into a statement. Mark Stone and Bo Horvat both found the net, widening the gap and forcing Czechia to chase. Then MacKinnon delivered the moment that made the building feel smaller: a power-play finish with Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby credited with the assists — a reminder of how different Canada looks when its top-end NHL talent is all on the same bench.
McDavid led the way in his first Olympics, posting three points and driving Canada’s tempo. His speed through the neutral zone kept Czechia on its heels, and his passing repeatedly turned harmless possessions into immediate scoring looks.
At the other end, Jordan Binnington was perfect. The goalie, who won gold with Canada at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, stopped all 26 shots he faced to seal the shutout. Lukas Dostal made 31 saves on 36 shots for Czechia, but Canada’s pressure eventually broke through again and again.
Suzuki got his moment late in the third period, scoring Canada’s fifth to cap a complete performance that had something from nearly every corner of the lineup — early scoring, special-teams execution, and a clean defensive finish.
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There won’t be much time to celebrate. Canada is right back on the ice Friday at 3:10 p.m. ET to face Switzerland — but after a 5-0 opener that looked like vintage dominance, the message is already loud: the tournament is going to have to go through Canada.
