2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup: Canada, Sweden, Czech Republic & USA Win Openers

The 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup kicked off in Brno and Breclav with four high-energy matchups that set the tone for the week. Fans saw offensive showcases, comeback pushes, and a statement win that could shape the rest of the tournament.

Game 1: Canada 5 – 3 Finland

First Period
It took less than a minute for Canada to strike. At 0:58, Beckett Edwards opened the scoring from Malcolm Preston and Ryan Lin. Canada doubled the lead at 8:55 when Kayden Verhoeff buried a feed from Ethan Belchetz and Ty Lawrence.

Finland roared back. At 14:01, Oiva Hemming finished a setup from Oskari Suvanto and Veeti Vanhatalo, then tied it at 19:25 when Joonas Laitinen struck off assists from Oliver Wahlroos and Wille Kallio.

Second Period
Canada thought they had the go-ahead goal early, but Liam Ruck’s tally was overturned on video review. They kept pushing, and at 19:52, Lin restored the lead from Anthony Valentini and Belchetz.

Third Period
Canada pulled away at 8:19 when Daniel Zhilkin converted a pass from Verhoeff. Finland cut it to 4–3 at 16:15 with Vanhatalo’s power-play marker from Matias Laatikainen and Hemming, but Belchetz iced it with an empty-netter at 19:55, assisted by Valentini and Verhoeff.

Standouts: Verhoeff (1G, 2A), Belchetz (1G, 2A), Lin (1G, 1A), Vanhatalo (2G).

Game 2: Sweden 10 – 0 Germany

First Period
Sweden wasted no time asserting dominance. At 8:47, Melvin Isaksson scored from Hugo Cilthe, followed by Oliver Karlsson’s tally at 9:37 from Melvin Nordmark and Anton Elofsson.

The floodgates opened—Mikael Kim made it 3–0 at 14:29 (assists: Isaksson, Isak Holtet), and Nordmark added a goal at 15:45 from Noel Bartholdsson and Max Gustafsson.

Second Period
Sweden kept rolling. At 10:52, Oliver Holmertz scored from Erik Hermansson and Nordmark.

Third Period
The onslaught continued—Hermansson at 1:45 from Benjamin Meijer and Olle Palme, Bartholdsson at 5:45 from Nordmark and Henrik Nicolaysen, Holmertz’s second at 7:31 from Meijer and Hermansson, Kim’s second at 16:18 from Isaksson and Elofsson, and Max Josbrant’s capper at 18:07 from Leo Andersson and Karlsson.

Standouts: Nordmark (1G, 4A), Isaksson (2G, 2A), Holmertz (2G), Kim (2G).

Game 3: Czech Republic 6 – 2 Switzerland

First Period
Switzerland opened the scoring at 7:12 when Tim Munger struck from Nando Reist and Levin Bachler. The Czechs responded at 11:09—Jan Kamas converting from Vojtěch Svancar and Patrik Tomek.

Second Period
The Czech Republic took control quickly. Samuel Belohorský scored at 2:28 from Svancar and Jakub Vaněček, Lukáš Kachlír made it 3–1 at 8:18 from David Byrtus and David Huk, and Filip Novák extended the lead to 4–1 at 10:22 from Kachlír.

Belohorský added his second at 14:05 from Novák and Benedikt Reisnecker before Switzerland’s Pascal Moser pulled one back at 14:56 from Munger.

Third Period
The Czech Republic locked it down—Kachlír’s second at 9:20 from Huk and Novák sealed the 6–2 win. A missed penalty shot by Dominik Řípa at 10:53 was the only blemish.

Standouts: Belohorský (2G, 1A), Kachlír (2G, 1A), Novák (1G, 2A).

Game 4: USA 6 – 3 Slovakia

First Period
The U.S. struck first at 4:21 through Kristian Varga from Noah Duskocy, but Slovakia answered 30 seconds later—Oliver Ozogány scoring from Adam Goljer.

Second Period
On the power play at 3:04, Luke Harper restored the U.S. lead from Benjamin Zielinski and Nikita Klepov. Slovakia tied it again at 18:01 with Ozogány’s second from Samuel Hybský and Oliver Tariska, but Zielinski responded at 19:36 from James Hextall and Klepov.

Third Period
Ozogány completed his hat trick on the power play at 9:27 from Goljer and Lukáš Bernát to tie it 3–3, but the U.S. exploded late—Nate Davidson scored at 18:20, Brodie Rogowski added an empty-netter at 18:56 from Noa Ta’amu and Seth Gordon-Carroll, and Nicholas Bogas scored another empty-netter at 19:36.

Standouts: Ozogány (3G), Zielinski (1G, 1A), Klepov (2A).

Looking Ahead – Tuesday, August 12 Matchups

Sweden vs. USA – 9:30 AM

Switzerland vs. Canada – 9:30 AM

Czech Republic vs. Finland – 1:00 PM

Slovakia vs. Germany – 1:00 PM

The opening day of the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup delivered everything fans hoped for: highlight-reel goals, late-period drama, and breakout performances from some of the tournament’s biggest names. With Canada, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and the United States all making strong opening statements, the stage is set for a thrilling week in Brno and Breclav. If the pace and intensity from Monday carry forward, hockey fans are in for a showcase of the sport’s next generation at its very best.