Gavin McKenna scores hat trick as Canada routs Denmark 9-1

MINNEAPOLIS — Gavin McKenna said he needed to shoot more, and that’s just what he did.

The top 2026 NHL draft prospect recorded a hat trick to headline Canada’s 9-1 victory over Denmark, staying undefeated in Group B world junior play and clinching at least a top-two spot in the group.

Porter Martone, Michael Misa, and Brady Martin each notched three points, while Zayne Parekh, Kashawn Aitcheson, Caleb Desnoyers, and Michael Hage each tallied two.

After 20 minutes, Denmark registered just a single shot while McKenna, Braeden Cootes, and Zayne Parekh each scored to put Canada in the driver’s seat with a 3-0 lead.

McKenna kicked off the scoring on an early power play, catching Hage’s pass from the right circle and quickly firing the puck past Denmark goaltender Patrick Tiedjen. It was McKenna’s first goal of the tournament after recording four assists in two games.

Five minutes later, Cootes also buried his first goal minutes later with a glove-side snipe.

Parekh topped off the lead after Danish forward Tristan Petersen lost his skate blade 200 feet away from his net, effectively handing Canada a five-on-four man advantage. Parekh took a pass from Desnoyers and glided through the middle of the ice uncontested before unloading past Tiedjen.

Denmark responded 28 seconds into the second frame, as Mads Klyvo, the team’s only NHL-drafted player, beat Canada goaltender Carter George over the shoulder on a poor-angle shot from the left side.

But Canada restored its three-goal edge on the power play, as Parekh fed Martone for his second goal of the tournament.

Near the end of the period, McKenna tallied his second of the night from nearly the same right-circle location with a blistering wrist shot under Tiedjen’s glove.

Misa, the 2025 No. 2 pick, got the goal monkey off his back five minutes into the final frame, slapping a one-timer home on a slick reverse pass from Martone.

Not to be outdone, McKenna found himself alone with Tiedjen and faked a shot before tucking the puck around the netminder’s pad, completing the hat trick.

Aitcheson and Martone piled on in the final half of the third period to seal the blowout.

With the win Monday, Canada has never lost to the Danes at the world juniors over seven outings, outscoring them 59-5.

Six days ago, Canada beat Denmark 13-2 in pre-tournament action, with McKenna recording five points. Canada led the shot count 50-10 that night, and on Monday, they limited Denmark to just 13 shots while firing 50 of their own.

Denmark’s juniors are back in the top IIHF division for the first time in seven years with 2025 fourth-rounder Klyvo leading the way. Two others — Petersen and Anton Linde — are playing in the CHL this season, but overall, it’s a young and underwhelming Danish squad.

After three games, Canada has collected eight of a possible nine points and sits atop Group B, ahead of Finland’s seven points.

Canada’s final preliminary-round game is set for New Year’s Eve at 8:30 p.m. ET against the Finns, which will decide the winner of Group B.