Canada rocked the British opener – winning 4-2

Defending champions Canada faced Great Britain in their first World Cup match, and despite a surprisingly strong start by the British, Canada eventually managed to secure a 4–2 victory.

The tournament got off to a shock start for Canada as Great Britain took the lead. Liam Kirk, who scored the first goal, showed his prowess and became the first Briton to score against Canada since 1994. The goal, which came with 7:47 left in the first period, created confusion and controversy following an earlier disqualification play. After a wrong initial judgment.

Canada's response did not take long. Less than a minute after Great Britain's goal, Michael Bunting equalized, restarting the game and Canada showing renewed energy. The second period came to define the outcome of the match. Connor Bedard has already made a name for himself as one of the brightest stars in the NHL and the 2023 JVM. With two quick goals, first 3-1 and then 4-1, he showed why he is a player to be reckoned with.

Despite a disadvantage, Britain refused to give up. Ben O'Connor's cut, assisted by Kirk and Ollie Betteridge, gave new hope in the closing stages. Despite this, they were unable to complete a comeback, and the match ended in a 4–2 win for Canada.

After the match, Bedard expressed humility and determination for the rest of the match. “It's our first match. We have a lot to improve on, but I think we did a good job. We'll get better every game,” he told TSN.

For Great Britain, the tournament was a testament to their ability to hold their own against the top nations, although in the end they were unable to hold their own against the Canadian machine. For Canada, it was an important first victory.

Great Britain – Canada 2-4 (1-1, 0-3, 1-0)

07:47 1-0 Liam Kirk (Evan Mossey, Ben Lake)
08:17 1-1 Michael Bunting (Bowen Byram)
25:45 1-2 Brandon Hagel (Olan Zellweger, Pierre-Luc Dubois)
31:39 1-3 Connor Bedard (Michael Bunting, Olan Zellweger)
35:29 1-4 Connor Bedard (Nick Ball, Kaiden Kuhle)
48.49 2-4 Ben O'Connor (Liam Kirk, Oliver Betteridge)

Updated on May 11, 2024