Zayne Parekh faced challenges waking up on Friday, feeling unwell with heavy legs and body aches. Despite this, he powered through and contributed significantly in Canada’s debut at the world junior hockey championship. The Calgary Flames defenseman scored two goals to lead his team to a tense 7-5 win over the Czech Republic in the men’s under-20 tournament in Minneapolis.
“I was really under the weather,” Parekh mentioned of his morning condition. “But I boosted myself with electrolytes and medication.” Other key contributors for Canada included Michael Hage and Ethan MacKenzie, each tallying a goal and two assists, Brady Martin with a goal and an assist, Tij Iginla, and Porter Martone who scored into the empty net. Gavin McKenna and Cole Beaudoin provided two assists each, while Carter George made 28 saves.
On the Czech side, Tomas Poletin scored twice, Vojtech Cihar had a goal and two assists, Petr Sikora contributed a goal and an assist, and Tomas Galvas added a goal. The Czech team, with goaltender Michal Orsulak making 20 saves, also received assists from Vaclav Nestrasil and Adam Benak.
Canada, aiming for their record 21st gold medal at the tournament, seeks redemption after disappointments in the past two years. They were eliminated by the Czech Republic in consecutive quarterfinals in 2024 and 2025. Gavin McKenna expressed relief and satisfaction with the win, acknowledging the weight of past defeats.
Parekh, who missed last year’s team due to injury, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to this year’s squad. He emphasized the mental toll of the season but expressed optimism about finding his form. The Canadian team, wearing their white jerseys with the red Maple Leaf, capitalized on a power play to secure the victory over the Czechs.
The game saw back-and-forth action, with Parekh, Iginla, and MacKenzie playing crucial roles in securing the win for Canada. Despite a late surge from the Czechs, Canada held on for a hard-fought victory. Looking ahead, Canada faces Latvia in their next game as they aim to build on their opening success.