OLYMPICS: McDavid makes Olympic history as Canada tops Group A with 10-2 win over France

MILANO -- After three appearances, No. 97 has already made Olympic history.

Connor McDavid recorded another three points, picking up a goal and two assists to build his tournament scoring lead to nine points in three games as Team Canada eased their way into the Quarter-Finals at Milano Cortina 2026 with a 10-2 victory over Team France at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

The Oilers captain posted three points in his third straight game to become the first player in an Olympics attended by NHL players to achieve the feat, helping Canada finish first in Group A with a perfect 3-0-0-0 record and ultimately as the top seed in the preliminary stages with a +17 goal difference.

McDavid needed only three games to set the new record for points by a Canadian at an Olympics attended by NHL players, previously owned by Jonathan Toews in 2010, while leaving himself only two points shy of passing Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu's joint tournament record of 11 points.

McDavid picked up helpers on a pair of teammates' first goals at the Olympics, assisting on Tom Wilson's opening goal at 11:19 of the first period and Cale Makar's tally just over two minutes into the middle frame before he exploded off the rush 20 seconds into the third period to make it 7-1 for Canada.

McDavid now leads the Olympics in scoring with nine points (2G, 7A) in three games, three more than Slovakia's Juraj Slafkovsky (3G, 3A).

Six different Canadians had multiple points, including three points each for McDavid (1G, 2A), Macklin Celebrini (2G, 1A) and Sidney Crosby (1G, 2A), whose 15 career points at an Olympics attended by NHL players are now the most by any Canadian.

Canada will face the winner between Czechia and Denmark in the Quarter-Finals on Wednesday.

With his new linemates Tom Wilson and Macklin Celebrini, McDavid helped give Canada the lead after the French held strong in the opening 10 minutes of the contest until Drew Doughty's blast from between the circles was converted on the rebound by Wilson.

Floran Douay answered back only 13 seconds later, but it was Devon Toews who would get it back for Canada on a quick response of their own by jumping into the rush and putting a wrist shot past netminder Julien Junca only 39 seconds after France had made it 1-1 before the nine-minute mark of the first.

Mark Stone scored shorthanded in the final seconds of the opening period to put Canada up 3-1 on France through 20 minutes.

It didn't get any easier for France when Canada's 0-for-2 power play in the first period got on the board with Makar's first goal of the tournament, which was assisted by McDavid to put him one point shy of setting a new Olympic record for points in consecutive matches with 7:50 left in the middle frame.

McDavid's seventh assist tied the second-highest total at an Olympics with NHL players behind Finland's Saku Koivu (8 in 2006 & 1998).

Macklin Celebrini and Sidney Crosby scored 19 seconds apart to make it 6-1 for Canada after 40 minutes before McDavid needed only 20 seconds to make Olympic history following the intermission with a dazzling goal that marked his third straight multi-point outing and ninth point in three games.

On a quick counter-attack up ice, McDavid worked a give-and-go with Celebrini before splitting the middle and sliding a backhand around goalie Antoine Keller, who had just taken over the crease for France to begin the third period – only to be beaten on a world-class goal from the world's best player.

Sacha Treille scored 1:08 later for France, but goals from Bo Horvat, Brandon Hagel and Celebrini in a 6:33 span capped off the scoring for Canada, who needed a professional performance in this one after goal difference was certain to be a factor in determining the final tournament standings.