Canada’s Olympic Shutout Streak Ends, but the Gold Quest Marches On
For nearly four hours of Olympic hockey, Canada had been perfect. Not just dominant-untouchable. But all good things, especially in a sport as unpredictable as hockey, eventually come to an end.
Canada opened their 2026 Olympic campaign in style with a commanding 5-0 win over Czechia, extending an unofficial shutout streak that dated back over a decade. The last time NHL players suited up for Olympic play was in 2014, and since then, no opponent had managed to beat a Canadian goaltender-until Friday.
That streak, which spanned an impressive 236 minutes and 59 seconds of game time, was finally broken by Switzerland’s Pius Suter. The former Vancouver Canucks center snapped the shutout with a power play goal 12:42 into the first period, putting an end to a defensive run that had quietly built into something historic.
Let’s rewind for a moment. The last player to score against Canada in Olympic action with NHLers?
That would be Latvia’s Lauris Darzins, who found the net in the first period of a 2014 quarterfinal matchup. After that, Carey Price locked things down with back-to-back shutouts en route to gold in Sochi.
Fast forward to 2026, and Jordan Binnington picked up where Price left off, adding another clean sheet in Canada’s opener.
Then came Logan Thompson. The Calgary native got the nod in net against Switzerland and was tasked with continuing the streak.
But midway through the first, the Canadians found themselves on the penalty kill after a high-sticking call against Bo Horvat-another former Canuck. That’s when Suter, who never shared a locker room with Horvat in Vancouver, made his mark.
The irony? Thick.
The penalty was drawn by Suter, and he was the one who capitalized on it, ending Canada’s shutout streak in Olympic play with NHLers. It wasn’t just a goal-it was a punctuation mark on a stretch of defensive brilliance that had quietly become one of the longest in Olympic history.
Now, to be clear, the streak won’t go in the official Olympic record books. That honor still belongs to the 1948 Canadian squad, which held opponents scoreless for 225 minutes and 5 seconds. But in the modern era, with NHL talent on the ice and parity across international rosters, Canada’s 236:59 shutout run is nothing short of remarkable.
As for Suter, his Olympic moment comes after a solid NHL campaign last year in Vancouver, where he tied for the team lead with 25 goals. Despite a clear need at center, the Canucks let him walk in free agency, and he signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the St.
Louis Blues. So far this season, he’s chipped in seven goals and 15 points through 40 games-not eye-popping, but steady production from a player who’s proving he can still impact games on the biggest stage.
For Canada, the end of the shutout streak is hardly a cause for concern. If anything, it’s a reminder that even the most dominant teams can be tested.
But with a deep roster, elite goaltending, and a gold-medal mindset, Canada remains very much in control of its Olympic destiny. The streak may be over, but the mission is far from finished.