Team USA Routs Czechia 4-1 in U18 Tournament
Cannon Thibodeau and Horton led the U18 squad to a win over Czechia in Five Nations Tournament play.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Hockey
Team USA defeated Czechia 4-1 in U18 Five Nations Tournament play. Thibodeau opened the scoring at 13:56 of the first period, and Horton added two power-play goals while Ryland Rooney scored in the third.
Why it matters
The win keeps Team USA on track in the Five Nations Tournament as the squad prepares for its next matchup against Finland on November 6. The result also gives the U18 program early momentum in a competitive international event.
Horton scored twice on the power play, at 9:47 and 16:16 of the second period, while Czechia answered just 1:04 after his first goal. Rooney's third-period goal at 3:12 was his first of the tournament.
The players
Cannon Thibodeau
A U18 forward from Charleston, South Carolina, who scored Team USA's first goal of the game.
USA Hockey
The national governing body for ice hockey in the United States, which oversees the U18 national team program.
The details
Diego Gutierrez's blue-line shot ricocheted off Nolan Fitzhenry and past the Czech goalkeeper to open the scoring sequence. Fitzhenry later drove to the crease, and Horton buried a pass along the goal line for one of his power-play goals.
Timeline
November 5, 2026: Team USA defeats Czechia 4-1 in the U18 Five Nations Tournament.
November 6, 2026: Team USA faces Finland at 9:30 a.m. ET.
November 13, 2026: U18s host Chicago Steel at USA Hockey Arena at 7:00 p.m. ET.
November 14, 2026: U18s host Chicago Steel at USA Hockey Arena at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Season Trajectory
The result positions Team USA's U18 squad early in the Five Nations Tournament, where wins against Czechia and upcoming matchups against Finland will shape the competitive picture. Results like this feed the national development program's pipeline of players moving toward higher levels of competition.
Fans planning to attend can see the U18 squad host the Chicago Steel at USA Hockey Arena on November 13 at 7:00 p.m. ET and November 14 at 6:00 p.m. ET. The schedule gives local followers two chances to watch the team in person during the same week.
The takeaway
Early wins in a multi-team tournament can set the tone for the rest of the event, and Team USA's balanced scoring suggests depth across its lines. Tracking the Finland matchup will show whether that depth holds against a stronger opponent.
What happens next
Team USA faces Finland on November 6, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. ET, and the U18s host the Chicago Steel at USA Hockey Arena on November 13 and 14.
Further reading
Explore more Hockey coverage for the latest on youth and national-team competition.
More information
Purchase tickets for the Chicago Steel games at USAHockeyNTDP.com/tix.
