Trencin, Slovakia- Western Hockey League skaters combined for eight points as Canada routed Norway 8-0 in their third match of the 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship.
Canada’s second-youngest player, Brandon Wheat Kings star Jaxon Jacobson, came up big with two goals in his first appearance of the tournament, and OHL standout Dima Zhilkin netted a hat trick.
Beckett Hamilton (Saskatoon, Sask. / Red Deer Rebels) scored the first of the game- and his first-ever goal for Team Canada- after kicking a pass from Ryan Lin (Richmond, B.C. / Vancouver Giants) to his stick and lofting it past the Norwegian netminder.
The 5-foot-11, 173-pound winger is ranked 33rd by NHL Central Scouting in the agency’s final list ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Lin (NHL CSS: 16) teamed up with his Giants teammate Mathis Preston (Penticton, B.C.) to set up Dima Zhilkin (Saginaw Spirit / OHL) for a powerplay redirect to double the lead in the first period.
Preston (NHL CSS: 32) picked up his second helper of the night on a Tynan Lawrence goal to make it 3-0 Canada after 20 minutes.
In the second, Jaxon Jacobson (Brandon, Man. / Brandon Wheat Kings) received a cross-ice pass from Victoria Royals alumnus Keaton Verhoeff and ripped a quick wrister five-hole to make a statement in his first game of the tournament.
Zhilkin capped off the hat trick in the second period to make it a 5-0 game, and the WHL contingent capped off the scoring in the final frame.
Jacobson bagged his second goal of the night with a quick pickup on a powerplay rebound.
The 5-foot-11, 181-pound forward isn’t eligible for the NHL Draft until 2027 because of his December birthday.
Zach Olsen (Calgary, Alta. / Saskatoon Blades) scored his second goal of the tournament to close things out by jumping by his check in the neutral zone, carrying the puck in on a two-on-one, and snapping the puck top corner.
He’s clocked in at 36th among North American Skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings.
Canada (2-0-0-1) closes out the group stage against Finland (2-0-0-0) on Monday, April 27, at 6:00 a.m. MT.
NOTES
Tri-City Americans defenceman Jakub Vanecek (NHL CSS: 31) scored in his second straight game as Czechia downed Germany 3-2 in overtime… Wenatchee Wild blueliner Darian Rolsing (NHL CSS: 138) earned the primary assist on Germany’s game-tying goal in the third period to force the extra frame.
