Canada shuts out United States, reaches World Championship semifinals

Canada’s 4-0 shutout of the United States sent a clear message in Fribourg: this team has the depth, speed and poise to push through the final weekend of the World Championship. The win sent Canada into the semifinals on May 28 and exposed a sharper question for both North American powers, not just who won this rematch, but which roster now looks more complete on the world stage.

Jet Greaves was the difference in a third-period American surge, stopping all 34 shots for his first career shutout with Team Canada. The 25-year-old undrafted goaltender, making his first international appearance, stood up to the reigning champions when the game tightened and preserved a result that carried both competitive weight and emotional edge after Canada’s loss to the United States in the Olympic final earlier in 2026.

Canada scored in every period. Macklin Celebrini opened the scoring in the first period with his sixth goal of the tournament, a reminder that the 19-year-old captain has become more than a symbol of the program’s future. Dylan Holloway doubled the lead midway through the second period after a quick breakaway, giving Canada breathing room before the Americans mounted their push. Connor Brown and Sidney Crosby added empty-net goals to turn a tense quarterfinal into a decisive statement.

The matchup also underscored how much these teams have been shaped by the long arc of international rivalry. It was the 50th all-time meeting between Canada and the United States at the men’s world championship, and the Americans had won only seven of the previous 49 games. That history gave the shutout extra bite, especially with the United States arriving as reigning world and Olympic champions and leaving without a medal-round path.

Canada’s roster construction made the result more telling. Crosby was added about two weeks before the tournament after missing the initial 23-man roster, then slid into the role of alternate captain behind Celebrini. That blend of veteran finishing and youthful responsibility was on full display in Fribourg, where Canada looked less like a team searching for answers and more like one building toward a title run.

The semifinals are set for May 30 at Swiss Life Arena in Zurich, with Switzerland meeting Norway at 15:20 and Canada facing Finland at 20:00. The winners advance to the gold-medal game on May 31, while the losers play for bronze the same day. Finland’s 4-1 win over the Czech Republic set up Canada’s next test, and after shutting down the United States, Canada enters it with momentum and a roster that suddenly looks built for the final stretch.