By The Canadian Press

Goalie Gavin Betts perfect as Canada earns bronze at Hlinka Gretzky Cup

Aug 16, 2025 | 11:17 AM

BRNO — Gavin Betts had a 22-save shutout as Canada earned bronze at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup with a 3-0 win over Finland on Saturday.

Cooper Williams, Ethan Belchetz and Daxon Rudolph supplied the offence as Canada won its 30th medal at the under-18 men’s hockey tournament. The Canadians fell to the United States in a 4-3 shootout loss in Friday’s semifinal.

“It was tough to lose in the semifinals because we came here to try to win gold, but sometimes things do not work out the way you want them to,” said Belchetz. “We were a little down after yesterday’s game, but we wanted to leave here with a medal and bring something home to our families.”

Canada has won 25 golds, three silvers, and two bronzes since the international event was first held in 1991.

William Gammals stopped 27 shots in net for Finland.

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The U.S. beat Sweden 5-3 for gold later Saturday.

The Hlinka Gretzky Cup will be held in Edmonton in 2026. It will be the fifth time the international under-18 showcase is played in Canada, with Alberta previously hosting three times (Edmonton – 2024; Red Deer – 2022; Edmonton and Red Deer – 2018).

Canada won gold at all three of those tournaments, defeating Czechia 2-1 in the 2024 final.

“We are thrilled to bring the Hlinka Gretzky Cup back to Edmonton next year, and to kick off the 2026-27 hockey season with the top under-18 players from eight countries competing for a gold medal,” said Dean McIntosh, Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact.

“This is a prestigious tournament with a deep history that is an important part of the international hockey calendar, and we look forward to hosting a world-class event for teams, players and fans next August.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2025.

The Canadian Press