On Sunday, Lightning prospect Noah Steen and Norway will look to pull off a major upset and prevent Canada from medaling for a third straight year. It won't be easy, as players like Sidney Crosby, Mark Scheifele, and first time captain Macklin Celebrini won't want to leave Switzerland empty-handed.
Norway was defeated by Switzerland in dominant fashion during their semifinal game on Saturday, falling to the home country 6-0. Now, Norway will have just over 24 hours to bounce back as they'll look to earn a medal at the IIHF World Championship for the first time ever.
This year, Norway has, at the very least, tied their best ever performance at the World Championship. During the 1951 tournament, the Norwegians earned a fourth place finish which has been their benchmark for the ensuing 75 years. Now, this 2026 team has a chance to establish a new benchmark with their first ever medal.
If Norway is going to pull off the upset, they'll need more out of their top players, as Steen and Tinus Luc Koblar, the team's top scorers, have combined for just a single point in their last two games.
While the majority of the hockey world will be focused on which team takes home the gold medal later in the evening, there's a potentially historic moment on the horizon for Norway.