A record crowd of 16,394 witnesses a decisive 6-0 loss for the Hungarian ice hockey team.
In a pre-world championship friendly match held at the MVM Dome, Hungary's ice hockey team faced a significant defeat against the world number one Canadian team, losing 6-0 in front of a record crowd of 16,394 spectators.
The match featured noteworthy performances, particularly from Macklin Celebrini, who was instrumental in Canada’s success.
Head coach Gergely Majorossy made several lineup changes, sidelining players Galló Vilmos, Sárpátki Tamás, and Ortenszky Tamás due to minor illness, along with third-string goalkeeper Dominik Horváth.
The anticipated matchup was slightly dampened by the absence of Sidney Crosby, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, who opted not to participate, instead observing the game from a VIP box.
The first period saw Hungary holding its own against the Canadians initially.
However, Canada quickly took control, scoring two goals in a span of 78 seconds following a disallowed goal due to offside.
The opening goal came from Zach Boychuk, who capitalized on a turnover in Hungary's defensive zone, while junior player Porter Martone found the net in a chaotic moment in front of the Hungarian goal.
In the second period, Canada intensified its offensive pressure.
A shot from Noah Dobson deflected off a defender into the net, and shortly thereafter, an attempt by Travis Konecny to score further widened the gap.
Hungary had a chance to narrow the score during a power play but was unable to convert, and
Johnson's attempt struck the crossbar.
The final period saw Canada apply even more pressure, scoring two goals in just 28 seconds.
Travis Sanheim scored after a superb display of puck movement, followed by Celebrini, who deflected a long-range shot from Ryker Evans into the goal.
Hungary found an opportunity to respond when Barrett Hayton was penalized, but their efforts culminated in a shot that hit the outside of the post, leaving the final score at 6-0. This matchup marked the 15th encounter between the two teams, with Canada now having secured victory in 13 of those matches, including two draws in 1934 and 1938.
Hungary is scheduled to travel to Herning, Denmark, on Wednesday, where they will commence their world championship campaign against Germany on Saturday.
Following this, they will face the United States, Kazakhstan, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Switzerland, and Norway in the preliminary round.
The top four teams from the eight-team group will advance to the quarterfinals, while the last-place team will be relegated to Division I/A for the subsequent season.