Canada Beats France 10-2 to Sweep Olympic Group Stage
Canada vs France hockey 2026 Winter Olympics
The Canadian men’s hockey team delivered a dominant performance at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday, February 15, routing France with a 10-2 victory. This win at the Santagiulia Arena allowed Canada to finish the preliminary round with a perfect 3-0 record. The team officially clinched the top spot in Group A and secured a direct bye into the quarterfinals. Nine different Canadian players found the back of the net in the blowout. Rising star Macklin Celebrini led the offensive surge with two goals, including a historic successful penalty shot.
Captain Sidney Crosby achieved a major milestone during the contest by becoming Canada’s all-time points leader in the NHL-era Olympics. His goal and two assists brought his career total to 15 points, surpassing the previous record held by Jarome Iginla. Connor McDavid and Mark Stone also recorded three points each, further cementing Canada’s status as the tournament favorite. Other goals were provided by Tom Wilson, Devon Toews, Cale Makar, Bo Horvat, and Brandon Hagel. Despite the lopsided score, the game featured a brief moment of tension when Wilson was ejected following an outright fight with French defender Pierre Crinon.
France managed to keep the game competitive in the opening minutes, briefly tying the score at 1-1 after a goal by Floran Douay. However, the Canadian roster’s depth proved overwhelming as the game progressed. Goaltender Jordan Binnington made 11 saves to earn the win, while French starter Julian Junca was replaced by Antoine Keller after allowing six goals through two periods. This victory significantly boosted Canada’s goal differential, which may determine the overall top seed for the knockout bracket. The United States would need a double-digit victory over Germany later today to challenge Canada for that primary position.
The Canadian squad will now have two days of rest before their quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday, February 18. The tournament has already seen a resurgence in global interest due to the return of NHL players for the first time since 2014. As the knockout stage approaches, Canada’s combination of veteran leadership from Crosby and the elite speed of McDavid has made them the team to beat. Fans are eagerly awaiting the final seeding results to see which opponent Canada will face in the next round as they pursue their first Olympic gold medal in 12 years.
