Canada Rolls Past Germany
Canada will keep away from one other horrible begin to the lads’s World Hockey Championship after beating Germany 5-3 on Friday.
Canada is at all times anticipated to do nicely, however began the match 0-3 final 12 months – together with a loss to the Germans – earlier than turning issues round and successful gold.
The enjoyable began for the Canadians at 8:06 when Cole Sillinger acquired the bouncing puck from Josh Anderson and made it 1-0. Nine minutes later, Pierre-Luc Dubois doubled the benefit to 2-0 along with his first of the sport.
Germany’s Marc Michaelis scored at 27:24 after Moritz Seider put a wonderfully positioned shot off of Logan Thompson’s pad and to Michaelis in entrance to chop the lead in half.
But from there, it was all Canada. Dubois had his second of the evening after the puck bounced round and finally went off his foot and in to make it 3-1. Kent Johnson scored his first World Championship objective two minutes later on the ability play to make it 4-1, with San Jose Sharks defenseman Noah Gregor pinching in to attain his first nationwide workforce objective ever to provide Canada a four-goal lead.
A pair of power-play objectives from Germany put some worry in Canada within the third. Mattias Plachta’s wrist shot at 41:13 from Tim Stutzle made it 5-2, whereas Seider scored one in every of his personal on the ability play – additionally from a Seider feed – to make it 5-3 with 7:25 to go. Germany pulled its goalie with just below three minutes to go, however Thompson stored each shot out and held on for the win.
Slovakia Avoids French Comeback
Slovakia’s try and construct upon a bronze medal on the 2022 Olympics almost led to catastrophe, however they in the end beat France 4-2 in a detailed affair.
At one level, it wasn’t wanting like a detailed recreation. Pavol Regenda scored the lone objective of the primary and Toma Tatar scored at 21:54 to make it 2-0. But a pair of objectives from Anthony Rech and Jordann Perrett about six minutes aside compelled Slovakia into a troublesome spot.
Perrett, specifically, scored a highlight-reel objective after Yohann Auvitu set the puck down the ice from the aspect of the French web to Valentin Claireaux, who made an attractive tip go out to Perrett for the breakaway objective.
France had momentum, and almost beat Patrik Rybar once more, however Samuel Takac’s objective with two minutes remaining within the second gave Slovakia the lead as soon as once more. Regenda’s empty-netter helped seal the deal for Slovakia, who carried the same roster to the one which medaled in Beijing.
Latvia No Match for USA
A 3-goal first interval helped set the tone because the United States finally skated to a 4-1 win over Latvia to open play.
It’ll be a fast turnaround for Latvia, who performs the hosts from Finland within the night recreation tomorrow. USA could have a time off earlier than dealing with Austria on Sunday.
Latvia wanted its goaltending, however they acquired the precise reverse after a tough first interval for Elvis Merzlikins.
Riley Barber scored on an Andrew Peeke level shot at 7:11, solely to have Seth Jones rating a power-play objective on a shot that Merzlikins moved too sluggish on.
Then, at 11:36, San Jose Sharks prospect Thomas Bordeleau scored a shorthanded marker when he one-handed the puck by means of Merzlikins’ five-hole on a play the place he was attempting to go the puck to Seth Jones on an odd-man rush.
Latvia elected to maintain Merzlikins within the web for the second, and Sam Lafferty scored to make it 4-0 simply 33 seconds into the center stanza for the massive benefit. Latvia acquired a power-play objective 1:47 into the third from Andris Dzerins, nevertheless it was the one marker they acquired on the board and it did not in the end make a distinction.
Finland Shuts Out Norway at Home
A fierce matchup between two rivals groups ended up with the hosts from Finland taking a 5-0 win over Norway.
The recreation was highlighted by a uncommon combat, with Finland’s Saku Maenalanen and Magnus Brekke of Norway dropping the gloves late within the third interval. Both have been ejected from the sport.
On the scoring entrance, Harri Pesonen had the opening interval’s lone objective after taking Joel Armia’s go close to the aspect of the online and fooling Henrik Haukeland.
At 31:37, Toni Rajala doubled the lead, with Hanne Bjorninen including one himself at 36:06. Armia added a objective at 41:36 to conclude the scoring in a one-sided contest on the scoresheet. Jere Sallinen scored a late objective to make it 5-0 to provide the native followers another reason to have fun.
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News & Notes:
– Caleb Jones was injured in USA’s pre-tournament recreation towards Canada and can return residence to Chicago. The Blackhawks have 23 gamers in Finland, with 20 registered, and may have a 25-man roster, so the workforce will possible handle it within the coming days with extra NHL groups getting eradicated.
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1. Seth Jones, D (USA): Jones had a objective and an help and virtually scored one other early objective within the first, too. An important begin for the Chicago Blackhawks defender.
2. Moritz Seider, D (GER): With three factors within the first recreation, Seider is already tied for the match scoring lead. Not dangerous for the Calder Trophy favourite.
3. Juraj Slafkovsky, F (SVK): With two assists, Slafkovsky confirmed up in an enormous means after main the Olympics in objectives earlier this 12 months. Prospect watchers, preserve an eye fixed on Slovakia.