WHAT A PLAY FROM BOUCHARD 🔥 Bouchard goes end to end and ROR finishes off the play! #MensWorlds
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2026 IIHF World Championship Day 10: Bouchard leads Canada to victory

May 24, 2026, 18:00 EDTUpdated: May 24, 2026, 18:34 EDT
Team Canada remains undefeated at the 2026 World Championship.
Only two Edmonton Oilers were in action Sunday afternoon, as Darnell Nurse and Evan Bouchard helped Canada pick up a 5-1 victory over Slovakia. The Canadians have now clinched at least second place in Group B, but the group will be decided in a matchup against Czechia this week.
Let’s take a look at what went on in Canada’s 5-1 win, what happened in the other three games Sunday, and set up Monday’s slate of games.
Canada vs. Slovakia
With just over five to play in the first period, Dylan Cozens opened the scoring, putting Canada up 1-0. The score held that way heading into the second period, and nine minutes into the middle frame, Kristián Pospíšil tied the game for the Slovaks.
This game was won in the third period. Just over two minutes into the final period, Gabriel Vilardi scored to give Canada a 2-1 lead. Then John Tavares scored less than three minutes later to give Canada a 3-1 lead.
Bouchard’s lone point in this game came just over seven and a half minutes into the third. Taking the puck all the way from his own zone, he led the rush and dropped it off to a trailing Ryan O’Reilly, who tapped it in to give the Canadians a 4-1 lead. It’s important to note that this was when Canada was down a man.
For good measure, captain Macklin Celebrini scored midway through the third period, giving the Canadians four goals over a span of seven minutes and seven seconds.
As has been the case all tournament, Bouchard led the Canadians in ice time with just over 21 minutes. Moreover, he finished as a plus-2, firing two shots on goal in the second period. The right-shot defenceman’s offence has been solid, scoring a goal and picking up four helpers, but it’s been his defensive play that has stood out.
Over the six games, Bouchard’s plus-11 ranks second in the tournament, only behind Roman Josi’s plus-12. It’s fair to say that the stat is antiquated, but Bouchard still hasn’t been on the ice for a goal during five-on-five action.
In all situations, Bouchard has played 136:29, and has been on the ice for exactly two goals, both on the penalty kill.
Darnell Nurse also played in this game, and while he didn’t get involved in the scoring, he played 19 and a half minutes, firing four shots on goal and finishing a plus-1. He now has five assists in six games, and is a plus-1.
Other notes…
If Canada wants to win their group, they’ll need to defeat Czechia Tuesday unless Norway pulls off the upset Monday. By defeating Slovakia, Canada will either finish first or second in Group B.
Sweden, who were off Sunday, have to win their final game of the tournament. That game, set for Tuesday, is against the Slovaks, who currently have a two-point lead over Sweden in the standings. A regulation victory guarantees a spot in the playoff round.
In Group A, both Germany and the USA sit on the outside looking in. Starting with Germany, they have one game remaining, facing Great Britain Monday. Assuming the win in regulation, they’ll finish with 10 points. They can leap frog both Austria and Latvia, who each have nine points in six games, but that’s easier said than done.
Team USA has two fewer points than Germany, but an additional game in hand. They play Hungary and Latvia, so there’s a good chance they can finish with 11 points. Those 11 points would get them in the playoff round, as it’d require a win over Austria.
The only way both Germany and USA can make the playoff round is if Hungary somehow finds a way to defeat Latvia Tuesday, which doesn’t seem likely.
As for the other, non-important games, Latvia beat Great Britain 6-0, Denmark beat Italy 3-2 in a shootout, and Finland defeated Austria 5-2, keeping their bid for a perfect tournament alive.
On Monday, Isaac Howard’s USA plays Hungary at 8:20 a.m. MT. Later that day, Josh Samanski’s Germany takes Great Britain with a start time of 12:20 p.m. MT. Canada is in action against Slovakia Tuesday, which has a 12:20 p.m. MT start time. Sweden faces Slovakia on the same day, which has a start time of 8:20 a.m. MT.
Past recaps
- 2026 IIHF World Championship Day 1: Oilers’ Darnell Nurse and Mattias Ekholm shine
- 2026 IIHF World Championship Day 2: Evan Bouchard scores as Canada shuts out Italy
- 2026 IIHF World Championship Day 3: Ekholm scores, Howard strikes twice
- 2026 IIHF World Championship Day 4: Josh Samanski logs lone Oilers point
- 2026 IIHF World Championship Day 6: Howard, Ekholm star as three Oilers notch point
- 2026 IIHF World Championship Day 7: Bouchard logs 3 assists in Canada’s win
- 2026 IIHF World Championship Day 8: Four Oilers secure victories
- 2026 IIHF World Championship Day 9: Samanski logs 3 points
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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