Allen, Texas- Ben Kindel barely had time to breathe from the time the Calgary Hitmen exited the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien in a Game 7 heartbreaker and the time he boarded a plane bound for Texas, but the prize 2025 NHL Draft pick made a huge impact in his first game for Canada at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship on Sunday.
Kindel scored the opening goal in a 5-1 win against Finland to help Canada improve to 3-0 in round robin action.
Prior to the game, Braeden Cootes (Sherwood Park, Alta. / Seattle Thunderbirds) was named Captain for the Canucks and freshly-added centre Cole Reschny (Macklin, Sask. / Victoria Royals) was deemed an alternate captain as the forwards aim to impress and increase their draft stock ahead of June.
Fresh off a 99-point season in Calgary, Kindel kicked off the scoring on the powerplay with a one-timer from just inside the right faceoff dot in the first period.
Canada carried a 1-0 lead into the second frame, and with the shots tied at eight, Cootes gave his team some more breathing room as he capped off a two-on-one rush with a perfectly-placed shot for his third goal in as many games.
Reschny, who was also making his tournament debut, made it a 4-0 match with a powerful one-timer from the faceoff dot on a 5-on-3 power play.
Canada and Finland traded blows in the final frame to ice a 5-1 decision.
Canada closes out round robin action on Monday, April 28 at 3:00 p.m. MST when they face Norway.
