Jordan Binnington, the St. Louis Blues goalie, showcased his prowess in goal for Team Canada, making 26 saves in a 5-0 victory over Team Czechia at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. This was Binnington's debut at the Olympics, following his championship win with Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. The match marked the Group A opener for both teams at the Santagiulia Arena.
Canada's victory was fueled by goals from Macklin Celebrini, Mark Stone, Bo Horvat, Nathan MacKinnon, and Nick Suzuki. Celebrini's goal, scored with 5.7 seconds left in the first period, set the tone for the game. Connor McDavid's three assists, along with Sidney Crosby and Thomas Harley's two each, contributed significantly to the team's success.
The game's pivotal moment came when McDavid raced into the zone, forcing Lukas Dostal to play the puck into the corner. McDavid then slid a pass to Cale Makar, who one-timed a shot on goal, with Celebrini deflecting it in. Canada extended its lead to 2-0 in the second period, with Stone tapping in a feed from Mitch Marner, his Vegas Golden Knights teammate. Crosby's battle along the boards with Jan Rutta led to a goal, showcasing Marner's skill in sliding the puck through the crease.
Horvat's slick feed from Brad Marchand at the red line resulted in a goal, and MacKinnon completed a passing play with McDavid and Crosby for a power-play goal. Suzuki's final goal in the third period made it 5-0, securing McDavid's third assist. Binnington's highlights included a diving save against David Kampf and a crucial stop against David Pastrnak.
Binnington's performance improved his record to 4-1-0 for Canada in best-on-best tournaments, including NHL players, with three consecutive wins. This victory marked a significant step towards Canada's goal of winning gold at the Olympics, having previously achieved success in 2010 and 2014.
