Zayne Parekh scores twice and Canada tops Czechia this time around at World Juniors

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Zayne Parekh scored twice, Canada had four goals in the third period and the Canadians defeated Czechia 7-5 on Friday night at the World Junior Championships.

Canada, the 20-time champion, is looking to return to the podium after being eliminated by Czechia in the quarterfinals in each of the past two tournaments. Czechia took the bronze both times.

There were three goals in the first 6 1/2 minutes of an explosive third period capped by Tij Iginla's goal that gave Canada a 5-4 lead. Ethan MacKenzie's goal a few minutes later made it 6-4 for the Canadians.

Tomas Galvas scored for Czechia with 4 1/2 minutes left in the game and Porter Martone found the empty net for Canada to wrap up the scoring.

Czechia outshot Canada 33-27.

Carter George stooped 28 shots for Canada and Michal Orsulak had 20 saves for Czechia.

Martin Brady's goal nearly 14 minutes into the first period gave Canada a 1-0 lead. Brady took a centering pass from Gavin McKenna near the front of the crease and beat Orsulak to his left side.

Thomas Poletin tied it for Czechia at 17:01 but it took Canada just 37 seconds to go back ahead, 2-1, on a goal by Michael Hage.

Vojtech Cihar tied it at 2-2 early in the second period and Petr Sikora's goal after 12 minutes of the second period gave Czechia its first lead, 3-2. Canada's Parekh tied it up three minutes before the end of the period when he fired from behind the right circle after taking a pass from Cameron Reid.

Canada plays Latvia on Saturday and Czechia faces Denmark, also on Saturday.

Canada goaltender Carter George makes a save on Czechia's Petr Sikora while Canada's Ethan MacKenzie, right, defends, during the first period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship game in Minneapolis, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Tij Iginla (11) attacks the net defended by Czechia goaltender Michal Orsulak (30) during second-period IIHF World Junior Championship hockey game action in Minneapolis, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)

Czechia's Tomas Poletin (18), center, celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship game against Canada in Minneapolis, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Michael Misa, front left, attacks Czechia goaltender Michal Orsulak (30) while Canada's Porter Martone (22) stands in front of the net during second-period IIHF World Junior Championship hockey game action in Minneapolis, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Harrison Brunicke (4) shoots against Czechia's net during second-period IIHF World Junior Championship hockey game action in Minneapolis, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)

BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge has halted efforts by the Trump administration to collect data that proves higher education institutions aren’t considering race in admissions.

The ruling from U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV in Boston on Friday granting the preliminary injunction follows a lawsuit filed earlier this month by a coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general. It will only apply to public universities in plaintiffs

The federal judge said the federal government likely has the authority to collect the data, but the demand was rolled out to universities in a “rushed and chaotic” manner.

“The 120-day deadline imposed by the President led directly to the failure of NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) to engage meaningfully with the institutions during the notice-and-comment process to address the multitude of problems presented by the new requirements,” Saylor wrote.

President Donald Trump ordered the data collection in August after he raised concerns that colleges and universities were using personal statements and other proxies to consider race, which he views as illegal discrimination.

In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled against the use of affirmative action in admissions but said colleges could still consider how race has shaped students’ lives if applicants share that information in their admissions essays.

The states argue the data collection risks invading student privacy and leading to baseless investigations of colleges and universities. They also argued that universities have not been given enough time to collect the data.

“The data has been sought in such a hasty and irresponsible way that it will create problems for universities,” a lawyer for the plaintiffs, Michelle Pascucci, told the court, adding that the effort seem was aimed at uncovering unlawful practices.

The Education Department has defended the effort, arguing taxpayers deserve transparency on how money is spent at institutions that receive federal funding.

The administration's policy echoes settlement agreements the government negotiated with Brown University and Columbia University, restoring their federal research money. The universities agreed to give the government data on the race, grade-point average and standardized test scores of applicants, admitted students and enrolled students. The schools also agreed to be audited by the government and to release admissions statistics to the public.

The National Center for Education Statistics is to collect the new data, including the race and sex of colleges’ applicants, admitted students and enrolled students. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has said the data, which was originally due by March 18, must be disaggregated by race and sex and retroactively reported for the past seven years.

If colleges fail to submit timely, complete and accurate data, the administration has said McMahon can take action under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which outlines requirements for colleges receiving federal financial aid for students.

The Trump administration separately has sued Harvard University over similar data, saying it refused to provide admissions records the Justice Department demanded to ensure the school stopped using affirmative action. Harvard has said the university has been responding to the government’s requests and is in compliance with the high court ruling against affirmative action. On Monday, the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights directed Harvard to comply with the data requests within 20 days for face referral to the U.S. Justice Department.

President Donald Trump arrives to speak about the Iran war from the Cross Hall of the White House on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)