Sawt Falasteen - Canada wrap up perfect Olympic ice hockey preliminary campaign

The Canadians, the most successful team in Olympic history, lost to Sweden in the quarter-finals at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games as Finland won gold.

But Jon Cooper's men have been in ominous form at the Milan-Cortina Games, running away with Group A to win their three games by a combined score of 20-3.

Top spot in the group and a place in the quarter-finals were already secured before Canada took on France in Milan.

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson gave Canada a deserved lead in the ninth minute only for Floran Douay to fire France level seconds later.

But Canada restored their lead almost immediately after superstar Sidney Crosby fed Devon Toews, and Mark Stone made it 3-1 at the end of the first period.

Goals from Cale Makar, Macklin Celebrini and Crosby in the second period took the game away from France and four more in the third period, including a second for Celebrini, completed the rout.

Canada opened their campaign with a 5-0 win over the Czech Republic before beating Switzerland 5-1.

National Hockey League stars have returned to the Winter Olympics at Milan-Cortina for the first time since 2014.

The world's top players are competing in Italy after the elite North American league agreed to a mid-season shutdown and issues of ice quality and rink size were resolved.

Canada are favourites but the Americans are desperate for their first Olympic men's gold since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" in Lake Placid.

The US team take on Germany later on Sunday.

J.AbuHassan--SF-PST