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Canucks prospect Rogowski scores as USA routs Canada in WJSS finale; Cootes calls loss ‘embarrassing’

Photo credit: © Steven Ellis | The Nation Network

By Jeffrey Kennett

Aug 2, 2026, 10:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 2, 2026, 02:58 EDT

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Brooks Rogowski completed an impressive World Junior Summer Showcase by scoring his third goal of the event against two fellow Vancouver Canucks prospects.

Braeden Cootes and Caleb Malhotra skated together on Canada’s second line but were held off the scoresheet as the United States defeated Canada 7-2 in Saturday’s showcase finale at the WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ontario. The Canadians dressed all eight returning players from last year’s bronze-medal World Junior roster.

“It’s pretty embarrassing, honestly,” Cootes said after the loss. “Never want to do that, doesn’t matter if it’s August or Boxing Day. But we’ll learn from it. It’s tough. Obviously it’s not what we wanted, but it gives us some motivation.”

Canada moved Cootes from his natural centre position to right wing beside Malhotra and Ethan Belchetz. The arrangement allowed Hockey Canada to continue evaluating Malhotra down the middle while testing Cootes’ versatility against a consolidated American roster. Neither Canucks prospect in red and white recorded a point, although Belchetz scored Canada’s first goal during a chaotic second period.

After a scoreless opening frame, Rogowski received a tripping penalty with 16 seconds remaining. Canada opened the second period on the power play but surrendered a shorthanded goal to Sammy Nelson at 1:32.

Belchetz responded less than three minutes later, and Dima Zhilkin gave Canada a 2-1 lead at 7:27. That advantage lasted only 26 seconds before Ethan Wyttenbach tied the game. The Americans took control from there.

Wyttenbach scored his second goal on a power play before Sean Barnhill, and Rogowski struck during the final three minutes of the period.

Rogowski converted a two-on-one opportunity with 40 seconds remaining in the frame, beating Canadian goaltender Lucas Beckman with a shot from the right side. Carter Sanderson and Mason West received the assists as the Americans carried a 5-2 advantage into the intermission.

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Brooks Rogowski scores his 3rd goal of this tournament and it's a beauty!

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9:35 PM · Aug 1, 2026

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Wyatt Cullen and Blake Fiddler added third-period goals for the red, white, and blue to complete the rout.

The final score looked especially jarring considering Canada held a 36-24 advantage in shots — 27 of which were generated over the final two periods — but the Canadians failed to score on seven power play opportunities. Beckman stopped 17 of the 24 shots he faced, while American netminder Ryder Fetterolf turned aside 34 of 36.

For Rogowski, the goal capped off a strong summer showcase. The 6-foot-7 centre opened the showcase with one goal and one assist in USA Blue’s 6-1 victory over Sweden, before scoring early in the third period of a 5-1 win over Finland. His goal against Canada gave him three goals and four points during the showcase, with all three goals coming at even strength.

Vancouver selected Rogowski with the 33rd-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft after he recorded 15 goals and 42 points in 46 games for the Oshawa Generals last season.

Rogowski entered the showcase facing significant competition for a place on the American World Junior roster, but his size and defensive potential may earn him a spot in USA’s bottom six come December. Producing against Sweden, Finland and Canada doesn’t hurt his case either. The second-round selection showed he can complement skilled linemates and finish opportunities without requiring a featured power-play role.

Malhotra centred Canada’s second line in both games he dressed and received time on the power play. The third-overall pick in June’s draft displayed his two-way awareness and created several chances during Canada’s opening loss to Sweden, although he finished the event without a point. Still, Canada’s decision to keep Malhotra down the middle against the United States remains an encouraging sign. Cootes already has World Juniors experience and has played centre throughout his junior career. Yet Hockey Canada moved the older prospect to the wing rather than shifting Malhotra, as they did with Brady Martin previously.

Cootes finished the showcase without an official point or penalty across two games played, but he centred Canada’s top line and wore the captain’s “C” against Sweden, and scored during a prearranged bonus overtime following the 5-3 loss to Sweden. The goal did not count toward any official tournament statistics.

For the Canucks, it’s a positive just to have three prospects playing such pivotal roles for their counties despite their minimal impact on the scoresheet. Cootes remains one of Canada’s more experienced and versatile candidates, Malhotra received meaningful minutes at his natural position against older competition, and Rogowski made the largest jump of the three, turning an invitation to summer camp into a legitimate push for a place on the United States roster.

The final World Junior rosters will be selected ahead of the tournament in Red Deer and Edmonton, which begins Dec. 26.

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