Slovak under-18 hockey players shocked at the home world championships. In Wednesday’s match, they won 2:1 against Canada after a great performance, and for the first time they managed the Maple Leafs at the top forum.
23/04/2026 07:11
Photo: TASR, Martin Medňanský
Moment from the match Slovakia – Canada.
The Junior World Championships are a highly watched event even overseas. No wonder that almost three hundred scouts from the NHL went to Trenčín and Bratislava.
The triumph of Martin Dendis’s wards after the goals of Samuel Šramaté and Timothy Kazda also made the rounds of the world media. Read their reactions.
IIHF.com
Home team Slovakia surprised the defending champions. It did everything it could to use home advantage against Canada, which is gunning for a third straight gold. And it worked thanks to the roar of Slovak spectators.
They were great offensively, there were blocked shots, pass disruption and reliable goalkeeper Denis Čelko at the back. Each routinely converted the free kick and provided a moment he will never forget.
sportscage.com
Canada’s road to defending its title just got a little trickier. The chants and cheering of Slovak fans created a noisy and boisterous atmosphere, which is not often seen in North America. Considering how well they played defensively, it was enough for the Slovaks to win. Canada didn’t create many clear-cut chances even after the keeper was called off.
Daily Faceoff.com
History was being rewritten. In their 13th match against each other, Slovakia defeated Canada for the first time ever at the Under-18 World Cup. And the best part? The Slovaks did it on their home ice at the Pavel Demitra Stadium.
An injury to goalkeeper Gavin Betts ruined everything. New goalie Carter Esler had to face a free kick, where Timothy Kazda made no mistake and scored the winning goal.
CHL.ca
A crushing victory for the home team in one of two surprising matches at the U18 World Cup. A sold-out crowd of more than 6,000 fans propelled Slovakia to a 2-1 victory over Canada on the opening day of the tournament. The home team’s hard-fought victory was the second of a pair of big surprises on the opening day, when the Czechs defeated the USA.
TSN.com “Fireworks of surprise on the very first day of the tournament. The thirteenth attempt was a winner for the Slovaks. It’s a huge victory for them, any time you beat Canada from an outside position, it’s massive for the team and their program. Denis Čelko was incredible.
sport.cz
The Slovaks perhaps still trumped the Czech sensation. They couldn’t even breathe at the historical scalp of Canada. Less than two hours after the Czechs stepped on the USA in Bratislava, an even bigger shock came in Trenčín.
Slovaks defeated Canada. From the first to the last minute, they played a balanced game with Canada, which was decided by the cold-blooded Kazda.
