Norway stuns Canada in overtime to win first world championship medal

Norway turned a bronze-medal game into a national milestone, shocking Canada 3-2 in overtime at Zurich’s Swiss Life Arena and claiming its first medal in any top-division IIHF tournament. The result, which the IIHF described as one of the biggest upsets in international hockey history, also sent a clear message about how much farther the sport’s competitive field has widened beyond its traditional powers.

Noah Steen delivered the decisive goal 3:32 into overtime, capping a tournament in which he finished with seven goals, tied for the overall lead. The winner completed a comeback from a Canadian surge that had nearly erased a two-goal deficit in the final minutes. Norway had led 2-0 after Emilio Pettersen scored in the first period and Stian Solberg added another in the second, while Henrik Haukeland held off wave after wave of pressure with 44 saves.

Canada, which had brought a roster loaded with Macklin Celebrini, Sidney Crosby, John Tavares, Ryan O’Reilly and Mark Scheifele, appeared to have forced the game’s final turn. With Jet Greaves pulled late in the third period, Robert Thomas scored with 1:16 left and then tied it again with eight seconds remaining, with assists from Celebrini and O’Reilly on the second goal. But Norway regrouped in overtime and converted the chance that mattered most, transforming a late Canadian rescue into a historic Norwegian celebration.

The bronze-medal finish was a breakthrough for a program that had never previously finished higher than fourth at the world championship, a result that came in 1951. It also followed a familiar tournament path for both teams: Canada entered after a 4-2 semifinal loss to Finland, while Norway arrived after being beaten 6-0 by Switzerland. The two sides had already played a chaotic preliminary-round game on May 21, when Canada edged Norway 6-5 in overtime, making the rematch in Zurich even more dramatic.

For Norway, the medal reaches beyond one result. Norwegian captain Kristian Ostby said the breakthrough could help spark more interest in hockey at home, including more players and more rinks. For the international game, the outcome reinforces that medal contention is no longer reserved for the deepest rosters and longest-established programs. Canada still owned the larger names and the heavier expectations, but Norway left Switzerland with the more significant prize: a first place in world championship history.