Canada and Czechia Clash in Paralympic Hockey Prelim Finale

Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team faces Czechia in a crucial preliminary round finale at the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday, March 10th, with first place in Group B on the line. The game is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. ET at Milano Santagiulia Arena. Hockey Canada

Recent Performances

Canada comes into the game with a dominant 14-0 victory over Japan on Monday, improving their record to two wins in as many games. Auren Halbert led the Canadian offense with four goals and three assists, although Dominic Cozzolino recorded a hat trick and Tyler McGregor contributed two goals and three assists. Canada outshot Japan 56-2. Hockey Canada

Czechia also secured their second win on Monday, defeating Slovakia 8-1. Filip Vesely, Martin Zizlavsky and Radek Zelinka each scored twice for Czechia, with Vesely adding two assists for a four-point performance. This victory marked a historic moment for Czechia, securing their first-ever qualification for a Paralympic semifinal. Paralympic.org

Historical Matchups

The last time Canada and Czechia met at the Paralympics was in the preliminary round of the 2014 Games in Sochi, with Canada winning 1-0 in a tightly contested match. Greg Westlake scored the lone goal, and Corbin Watson recorded a seven-save shutout. Hockey Canada

More recently, the teams clashed in the semifinals of the 2025 Para Cup in Dawson Creek, B.C., where Canada emerged victorious with a 7-0 win. Dominic Cozzolino was a standout performer, scoring two goals and assisting on three more. Corbin Watson earned the shutout with 12 saves. Hockey Canada

Czechia’s Historic Run

Czechia’s win against Slovakia was particularly significant, as it secured their place in the Paralympic top four for the first time in history. Captain Radek Zelinka expressed the team’s satisfaction in achieving their goal of qualifying for the semifinals and competing for a medal. Paralympic.org

Head Coach Jakub Novotny noted the team’s improved performance compared to their opening-day win against Japan, attributing it to a more relaxed and confident approach. He also acknowledged the high expectations following three consecutive bronze medals at the World Championships. Paralympic.org