2025 IIHF Worlds: Canada Dominates France 5-0

Canada continued their perfect start to the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship with a dominant 5-0 victory over France at Avicii Arena. With a flawless 3-0 record, Canada now sits at the top of Group A, sharing first place with Sweden but holding a superior goal differential. Meanwhile, France remains near the bottom of the standings with an 0-0-1-2 record, ahead of only Slovenia.

Jordan Binnington made his first start of the tournament, stopping all 15 shots he faced for his first career Team Canada shutout in IIHF play. The Canadians were relentless, dominating play in all areas, with standout performances from Bo Horvat (two goals) and Sidney Crosby (a power-play goal). France struggled to generate offense, unable to break through Canada’s well-organized defense.

“We’ve been trying to come out hard every game, sticking to our game,” said Adam Fantilli, reflecting on Canada’s mentality and their overall strong play (IIHF, 2025). Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, captain of France, summed it up well: “Maybe if we had gotten one goal, we could have made it a tighter game, but we’re playing Team Canada. It’s not easy” (IIHF, 2025).

First Period

The game began with both teams settling in, but Canada quickly took control of the game. Early on, they dominated possession and set the tone with their puck movement. The first goal came at 6:32, when Bo Horvat capitalized on a French turnover, putting Canada ahead 1-0.

GOAL (6:32): Bo Horvat (CAN) – Even Strength | Assisted by Tyson Foerster

Canada’s relentless pressure continued, and they made it 2-0 at 12:11. After a strong sequence by France in the Canadian zone, Kent Johnson carried the puck up ice and found Will Cuylle in front, who buried the puck to extend the lead.

GOAL (12:11): Will Cuylle (CAN) – Even Strength | Assisted by Kent Johnson, Ryan O’Reilly

Despite a couple of chances for France, including a few close calls around the Canadian net, Jordan Binnington kept the French at bay with perfect goaltending. The period ended with Canada firmly in control.

First Period Stats:

Second Period

The Canadians continued their dominance in the second period. Sidney Crosby scored a power-play goal at 37:31 to make it 3-0. Crosby skated out from the corner and took a pinpoint shot that squeezed under the crossbar, leaving Julian Junca with no chance.

GOAL (37:31): Sidney Crosby (CAN) – Power Play | Assisted by Brandon Montour

Not even a minute later, Bo Horvat scored his second goal of the game and fourth of the tournament, again on the power play. At 43:57, Horvat one-timed a quick pass from Travis Konecny and Nathan MacKinnon, putting Canada up 4-0 and effectively sealing the game.

GOAL (43:57): Bo Horvat (CAN) – Power Play | Assisted by Travis Konecny, Nathan MacKinnon

Though France had a few good moments, including an early opportunity where Guillaume Leclerc nearly got a breakaway, Travis Sanheim made a key defensive play, preventing the scoring chance. The French could not find any momentum, and Canada cruised into the third period with a commanding 4-0 lead.

Second Period Stats:

Third Period

In the final frame, Canada added a fifth goal to put the game out of reach. At 51:05, Brandon Montour scored a simple yet effective goal, launching a shot from the blue line that took a high bounce off Junca and trickled into the net.

GOAL (51:05): Brandon Montour (CAN) – Even Strength | Assisted by Barrett Hayton, Brayden Schenn

The French were unable to recover as Canada tightened up defensively, limiting any significant chances for the remainder of the game. Binnington continued to be solid in net, and the game ended with a comfortable 5-0 win for Canada.

Third Period Stats:

Goaltender Summary

Final Game Summary

Canada continues to dominate in the 2025 IIHF World Championship, with another strong all-around performance leading to a 5-0 win over France. The Canadians showed their depth and skill in both offensive and defensive zones, keeping France under control the entire game. Bo Horvat led the charge with two goals, while Jordan Binnington earned a shutout in his first start of the tournament. Canada remains at the top of Group A and will rest before their next matchup against Austria. France will look to regroup as they face Slovakia in less than 24 hours.

Players of the Game

Final Stats:

Source:
IIHF. (2025, May 13). Canada takes care of France. IIHF Official Website