OAKVILLE — Shelby Licastro wasn’t concerned about choosing sides. She was cheering for both Canadian teams even as her son Jaden Licastro fought it out on the ice.
Jaden, who plays for Canada White, trailed the Canada Red team by one point as they competed for bronze at the 2026 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Oakville on Nov. 7.
“It’s nice to cheer for both, right?” Licastro said. “Either way, Canada wins.”
Canada Red went on to defeat Canada White 8-4, securing the bronze medal in an all-Canadian matchup.
While the game determined which team would leave with a medal, it also highlighted the pride and sacrifices that come with representing Canada on the international stage.
The two Canadian teams combined got seven goals in the opening period, with Canada Red taking a narrow 4-3 lead into the first intermission.
Red extended its advantage in the second period, outscoring White 3-1 before adding another goal in the third period to secure the victory.
Liam Pue and Jakob Royer led Canada Red offensively with three points each.
Pue scored twice and added an assist, while Royer recorded a goal and two assists.
Kash Kwajah also secured the victory with a goal and an assist.
Despite the loss, Maddox Schultz led Canada White with four points, recording a goal and three assists.
Adrian Sgro and Madden Daneault each added three points, with Sgro scoring twice and Daneault contributing a goal and two assists.
Beyond the action on the ice, the energy in the stands offered another perspective on the tournament.
Davis Kempster, who attended the bronze-medal game, said watching hockey alongside the players’ families brought a different level of emotion to the experience.
“There’s something different about sitting among the players’ friends and families, hearing them cheer for goals, flinch at hits and yell at referees,” Kempster said. “You can tell it comes with a different level of passion.”
For families like the Licastros, the tournament represented more than the final score. She struggled to put the feeling into words when asked what it meant to see her son wearing a Team Canada jersey.
“I mean, it's awesome,” she said. “You can't even describe that feeling. I’m proud of him.”
While representing Canada is a proud moment for families, Licastro said reaching this level of hockey also comes with sacrifices.
“But I mean, just being away from family, being away from friends, you know, they're forced to grow up so much faster,” Licastro said.
Although Canada White left Oakville without a medal, Licastro’s pride in watching her son represent Canada extended beyond the final score.
For Licastro, the bronze-medal game was about more than which Canadian team took home a medal. It was about watching her son wear the maple leaf.
The U.S. won the tournament beating Czechia 3-0 in the gold medal game on Nov. 7.
