Norway earned its first IIHF World Championship medal in any top-division tournament on Sunday, stunning Canada in overtime 3-2 and taking home bronze.
The IIHF described it as “one of the biggest upsets in international hockey history.”
“It’s beyond words!” Noah Steen said after the game. “I’m so proud of this group, and that we’ve pulled this off together. We’re worth this, and the feeling that we’ve earned this is a great feeling.”
The game started inauspiciously for Canada. Though going on a power play just 16 seconds into the game, the Canadians surrendered the first goal of the game to Norway’s Emilio Petterson, who opened the scoring 6:44 into the first period. Canadian goaltender Jet Greaves, who shutout 2025 gold medalist Team USA three days earlier, fumbled the puck behind the net and Petterson picked it up and wrapped it around for the score 6:44 in.
Stian Solberg gave Norway a 2-0 lead 12 minutes into the second, rocketing a shot from the top of the circles past a screened Greaves.
Norway held onto that lead until the dying minutes of the game, when Team Canada pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker. Robert Thomas finally got Canada on the board with 1:16 left in the third period, grabbing a failed clear between the circles and beating Norway goaltender Henrik Haukeland. The Norwegians almost put things away in regulation, with a puck off a Petterson’s stick just missing the empty net with 22 seconds left.
Thomas, though, came in clutch for the Canadians again, battling through a scramble in front of the net and forcing in a rebound with eight seconds left to tie the game and send it to overtime.
Norway needed just 3:22 extra to complete the shocking victory, with Steen scoring his seventh of the tournament– tying with Latvia’s Rudolfs Balcers for first in goals during the 2026 World Championship — off a 2-on-1 odd man rush and setting off a raucous celebration.
Haukeland, who leads the tournament with three shutouts alongside Switzerland’s Leonardo Genoni, made 44 saves in the victory, playing a near perfect game outside of Canada’s quick rally. Norway also killed off all four of their penalties to keep Canada at bay until the final moment.
The Norweigans sent the star-studded Team Canada roster– including Sidney Crosby, Macklin Celebrini, Mark Scheiflele, and John Tavares— home empty handed for the third straight World Championship. Washington Capitals’ head coach Spencer Carbery, who served as an assistant for Team Canada, and Scott Murray, a goaltending coach for both, shared in the disappointment. The last time Team Canada medaled at the World Championship was in 2023 when it won gold.
Norway previously proved their ability to compete with the powerhouses during the group stage, forcing Team Canada to overtime in a 6-5 loss.
Norway pulled off the bronze medal upset with no full-time 2025-26 NHL players (Michael Brandsegg-Nygård played 14 games with the Detroit Red Wings, but spent the majoirty of his season with their AHL affiliate), picking up their first medal after 91 years as a member of the IIHF.
The significance of the win was not lost on defenseman Kristian Ostby.
“It’s huge,” he said. “Hockey fever is back in Norway. Hopefully we are starting something new today and can get more people to play, build more rinks. Hopefully this is a turning point.”
Hours later, in the Gold-Medal Game, Finland shut out Switzerland 1-0. Konsta Helenius scored the golden goal, 10:42 into overtime, giving Finland its first championship since 2022.
Finland goaltender Justus Annunen stopped all 22 shots he faced.
