Scheifele completes hat trick in OT for Canada's 6-5 win over Norway at ice hockey worlds
Canada's Mark Scheifele celebrates the winning goal in overtime of the 2026 IIHF Men's Ice Hockey World Championship preliminary round group B game between Canada and Norway, in Fribourg, Switzerland, Thursday, May 21, 2026. Credit: AP/Anthony Anex
FRIBOURG, Switzerland — Mark Scheifele completed a hat trick by scoring 29 seconds into overtime to give Canada a 6-5 victory over Norway at the ice hockey world championship Thursday.
Ryan O’Reilly scored with 1:39 left in regulation to force overtime by redirecting Macklin Celebrini's shot from the blue line into Norway's net.
Scheifele netted twice in the first period after Norway had built a 2-0 lead on goals from Eskild Bakke Olsen and Johannes Johannesen.
The Winnipeg Jets center, who amassed a 103-point regular season in the NHL, scored his first while falling to the ice and made it 2-2 with a slap shot with 2:10 left in the opening period.
The teams traded goals in the second period. Norway took the lead on Noah Steen's power-play goal before Gabriel Vilardi evened it at 3-3, also on a power play.
Dylan Cozens put Canada ahead 31 seconds into the third with a short-handed goal.
But Steen and Tinus Luc Koblar scored less than two minutes apart to give Norway a 5-4 lead, setting up O’Reilly's tying goal that came shortly after Canada pulled goalie Cam Talbot for an extra attacker.
Canada's Ryan O'Reilly, left, scores the 4-4 against Norway's goaltender Tobias Normann, top center, Norway's Christian Kaasastul, top left, Norway's Max Krogdahl, bottom center, next to Canada's Sidney Crosby, right, during the 2026 IIHF Men's Ice Hockey World Championship preliminary round group B game between Canada and Norway, in Fribourg, Switzerland, Thursday, May 21, 2026. Credit: AP/Anthony Anex
Favorites win
Later Thursday, Oliver Okuliar tallied a goal and two assists to lead Slovakia past Denmark 5-1 in Fribourg.
The Slovaks and Canada both have 11 points atop Group B. Czechia is one point back in third. Denmark is without a point.
The top four teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals.
Host nation Switzerland made it five wins from five with a 4-1 victory over Britain in Group A in Zurich. Nino Niederreiter scored two goals for the Swiss, who lead the group with 15 points.
Canada's Mark Scheifele, right celebrates the winning goal in overtime with teammates, during the 2026 IIHF Men's Ice Hockey World Championship preliminary round group B game between Canada and Norway, in Fribourg, Switzerland, Thursday, May 21, 2026. Credit: AP/Anthony Anex
Britain, a newcomer to the top division, remains without a point.
In another game in Zurich, Finland beat Latvia 7-1 and is in second with 12 points. Latvia captain Rudolfs Balcers scored just 10 seconds into the game.
