Sweden, Finland, Slovakia, and Canada all skated to victories on Day 2 of the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Players from the OHL thrived on Day 1. And the Kitchener Rangers and Saginaw Spirit each saw one of their forwards showcase their goal-scoring capabilities on Day 2.
OHL Talent On Display Day 1 Of 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Day one of the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/ohl/latest-news/canada-s-2025-hlinka-gretzky-cup-roster-finalized-11-ohl-players-set-to-represent-their-country-overseas">2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup</a> is in the books. Canada took down Finland in a close 5-3 game. Sweden took it to the Germans, winning convincingly 10-0. The United States defeated one of the host nations, Slovakia, by a score of 6-3. And Czechia, the other host nation, gave its home crowd lots to cheer about with a 6-2 win over Switzerland.
Canada vs. Switzerland
Canada stayed perfect at the tournament with a 9-1 win over Switzerland. The score of this contest shows the Canadians dominating the Swiss, but the inferior nation held strong through 40 minutes, keeping Canada to only one goal.
Switzerland’s netminder, Yannis Zambelli, was outstanding through two periods, stopping 31 of the 32 shots he had faced. Creative line changes by Canada’s coaching staff, and possibly fatigue from the Swiss, led to an eruption of eight goals in the third period. Zambelli finished with nine goals against on 45 shots, but he was his team’s best player and deserved Player of the Game for the Swiss.
Saginaw Spirit forward Dima Zhilkin factored in on Canada’s 5-3 tournament-opening win against Finland. After Canada was shut out in the opening frame against Switzerland, projected top pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, Landon DuPont, pounced off the opening faceoff of the second period, and set up fellow 2027 draft-eligible prospect Zhilkin eight seconds in.
In a similar fashion to his goal against Finland, Zhilkin slid the puck fivehole on Zambelli with a quick release. Windsor Spitfires’ Ethan Belchetz recorded a secondary assist on the play.
Zhilkin made the OHL’s First All-Rookie Team after recording 43 points (16 goals, 27 assists) in 54 games last season. He showcased his quick release again in the third period, after some hard work below the goal line by his linemates Tynan Lawrence and OHL Rookie of the Year Pierce Mbuyi, who fed Zhilkin all alone in front of the net for his second of the game and third of the tournament.
Canada’s offense had woken up at this point in the game. 24 seconds after Zhilkin’s second tally, Kitchener Rangers' new forward Adam Valentini fired a precise wrister right over the left shoulder of Zambelli, for his first of the tournament.
Later in the frame, Valentini intercepted Daxon Rudolph’s point-shot, swiftly pulling the puck from backhand to forehand to fire home his second of the game.
One of the line changes Canada’s Head Coach Mathieu Turcotte made was assembling an “all OHL” line consisting of Ethan Belchetz, Alessandro Di Iorio, and Colin Fitzgerald, which that towering trio of forwards connected on a goal near the end of the game.
Fitzgerald used his powerful strides and crossovers to get past the Swiss defenders off the rush, but couldn’t tuck in his backhand attempt on the breakaway. The rebound followed him into the corner, where he shoveled the puck back to the crease for Belchetz to pot home his second of the tournament. Belchetz leads Canada in scoring with five points through two days.
Canada continues its tournament on Wednesday against Czechia at 2pm EST. Czechia lost 4-1 to Finland on Tuesday. Unless there is a significant upset with Switzerland defeating Finland, Czechia will need to win against Canada to advance to the knockout stage.
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