Five-star Canada storm past Czechs in Milan

MILAN: Canada delivered a statement performance to open their Olympic men’s ice hockey campaign, overpowering the Czech Republic 5-0 on Thursday in a commanding display at the Milan-Cortina Games.

Backed by the return of NHL talent to the Olympic stage for the first time in 12 years, the nine-time champions looked every bit the tournament favourites at Santagiulia Arena.

Teenage sensation Macklin Celebrini set the tone early, calmly finishing to give Canada the lead and ignite a confident, high-tempo performance. From there, Canada’s depth and discipline took over.

Goaltender Jordan Binnington anchored the effort with a flawless 26-save shutout, frustrating the Czechs whenever they threatened to build momentum. In front of him, Canada rolled through its lines with precision.

Mark Stone doubled the advantage off a slick assist from Vegas Golden Knights teammate Mitch Marner, while Bo Horvat added another in the second period to put the game firmly in Canada’s control.

The third period turned into a showcase of attacking firepower. NHL goal-scoring leader Nathan MacKinnon struck to extend the lead, and Nick Suzuki added the fifth to complete the five-star performance.

The emphatic win sends a clear early warning to the rest of the field as Canada seeks to reclaim Olympic gold with a roster stacked with elite NHL talent.

Canada next face Switzerland in a highly anticipated Group A clash, while the Czech Republic will look to regroup against France.

Earlier in the day, Switzerland also made an impressive start, defeating France 4-0 to set up a compelling showdown with the Canadians.