New York Islanders center Bo Horvat made good on a lifetime wait, scoring in his first game representing Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics during Thursday’s 5-0 beatdown of Czechia.
Up by two goals with 2:34 remaining in the second period of Canada’s Olympic opener, Brad Marchand sent a pass along the red line to a streaking Horvat, who flew past a pair of defenders to come in alone on Czechia netminder Lukáš Dostál. With a deke to his backhand, the Islanders’ star slid the puck under the Anaheim Ducks’ goalie’s pads and into the back of the net.
With it, Horvat became the first member of the Islanders to score for Team Canada at the Olympics since Trevor Linden in 1998. That is more of a technicality, though, as Linden was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Islanders just a day before the Olympic break began, meaning he had never appeared in a game for New York.
Canada’s first game of the preliminary round was as dominant as expected. These are the significant favorites to win gold in what is the NHL’s return to the Olympics after a 12-year hiatus.
San Jose Sharks star Macklin Celebrini opened the scoring with just six seconds remaining in the first period before Canada added a pair in the second. Mark Stone of the Vegas Golden Knights doubled the advantage 6:40 into the frame before Horvat’s late tally put the result beyond doubt.
Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Canadiens added third-period goals, while St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington stopped all 26 shots that he faced.
