The scenario of two years ago has not been repeated, when in the Riga Arena, empty due to the pandemic, Latvia started its World Championships with a 2-0 victory over Canada. Today, in the same facility, in the presence of more than 9,000 Latvian fans, as usual, the Canadians beat the hosts 6:0.
Lawson Crouse scored the first goal in the 50th second and Scott Laughton made it 2-0 in the 5th minute, already chasing Ivars Punnenovs from the Latvian goal, beaten 2 times on 5 shots. Substitute Artūrs Šilovs allowed 4 of 24 shots past, including a negative-angle shot from Sammy Blais that the St. Louis Blues hit Šilovs’ puck directly into the net.
Defender MacKenzie Weegar scored and added two assists while Joe Veleno and Jack McBain added goals for André Tourigny’s side. Sam Montembeault, who was clearly designated by Tourigny as the number 1 goalkeeper before the tournament, kept a clean sheet with 23 saves.
Latvia – Canada 0:6 (0:2, 0:2, 0:2) Crouse (1st), Laughton (5th), Weegar (29th), Blais (36th), Veleno (54th), McBain (56th)
Meanwhile, in Group A, which plays in Tampere, Finland, the Swedes beat the Germans 1-0. “Three Crowns” had a problem with lower-ranked rivals for a long time, and in the first half the Germans only allowed them 4 shots on target, but finally in the 42nd minute Oscar Lindberg scored a goal that proved to be winner one, as it was the only one in the game.
Swedish goalkeeper Lars Johansson kept a clean sheet with 19 saves. It was his debut for the national team at the World Cup. At 35, the Frölundy Göteborg player has become the oldest World Cup signing in the history of the Swedish national team. Interestingly, Leo Carlsson, who was selected for a very high number in the NHL draft this year, today became the youngest World Cup rookie in the Swedish team (18 years and 136 days). .
Sweden vs Germany 1-0 (0-0, 0-0, 1-0) Lindberg (42nd)
