Forward Matt Duchene had a goal and one assist, and goaltender Cam Talbot made 24 saves to help lead Canada to a 5-1 victory against the United States in a Group B preliminary round game of the 2016 IIHF World Championship on Friday at Yubileiny Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Canada scored five unanswered goals after the United States took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Edmonton Oilers forward Patrick Maroon 4:54 into the first period.
Taylor Hall (Oilers), Brendan Gallagher (Montreal Canadiens), Boone Jenner (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins) also scored for Canada. Talbot (Oilers) made 14 saves in the second period. Keith Kinkaid (New Jersey Devils) made 28 saves for the United States.
"We have a young group, we have a hungry group," Canada coach Bill Peters told the IIHF website. "They are passionate and full of energy. We will continue to get better as the tournament progresses, but we are really pleased with our start."
United States center Auston Matthews, No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's ranking of international skaters for the 2016 NHL Draft, seemed a bit tentative at the start but was more confident by the middle of the second.
Canada entered the game having beaten the United States 38 times in the 42 previous meetings in World Championship competition. The U.S. had won the previous game in Helsinki, Finland, at the 2012 World Championship, 5-4 in overtime.
Duchene (Colorado Avalanche) gave Canada a 3-1 lead Friday in the second period when he took a pass from defenseman Cody Ceci (Ottawa Senators), skated into the right circle and beat Kinkaid over the right shoulder with a wrist shot at 11:37.
"I think on my goal we were able to take away some of their ice with a good rush, and everyone was working hard," Duchene told NBCSN during the second intermission. "I thought our line with Connor McDavid (Oilers) and Marchand pushed the pace pretty well on the cycle."
Canada took a 4-1 lead in the third when Jenner scored off a wraparound at the right post after taking a pass from Ryan O'Reilly (Buffalo Sabres) at 5:54. O'Reilly stole the puck from United States defenseman and Sabres teammate Jake McCabe in the left-wing corner before setting up Jenner behind the net.
Marchand made it 5-1 with a shorthanded goal 11:16 into the third. Duchene made the play happen when he blocked an attempted pass by Matthews before sliding the puck to Marchand.
Hall and Gallagher, who turned 24 on Friday, scored in the first to give Canada a 2-1 lead.
"It was nice (to score on my birthday)," Gallagher said. "It's actually my little sister's birthday as well. I texted her and told her I'd get her one, so that's nice."
The United States plays Belarus in its next preliminary round game Saturday in St. Petersburg (1:15 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TSN).
"We've got to fix some things in the defensive zone," U.S. captain Matt Hendricks told the IIHF website. "Our structure broke down too many times tonight and gave them too many opportunities. A team with that type of high-end skill, they're going to find the back of the net."
Canada scored five unanswered goals after the United States took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Edmonton Oilers forward Patrick Maroon 4:54 into the first period.
Taylor Hall (Oilers), Brendan Gallagher (Montreal Canadiens), Boone Jenner (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins) also scored for Canada. Talbot (Oilers) made 14 saves in the second period. Keith Kinkaid (New Jersey Devils) made 28 saves for the United States.
"We have a young group, we have a hungry group," Canada coach Bill Peters told the IIHF website. "They are passionate and full of energy. We will continue to get better as the tournament progresses, but we are really pleased with our start."
United States center Auston Matthews, No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's ranking of international skaters for the 2016 NHL Draft, seemed a bit tentative at the start but was more confident by the middle of the second.
Canada entered the game having beaten the United States 38 times in the 42 previous meetings in World Championship competition. The U.S. had won the previous game in Helsinki, Finland, at the 2012 World Championship, 5-4 in overtime.
Duchene (Colorado Avalanche) gave Canada a 3-1 lead Friday in the second period when he took a pass from defenseman Cody Ceci (Ottawa Senators), skated into the right circle and beat Kinkaid over the right shoulder with a wrist shot at 11:37.
"I think on my goal we were able to take away some of their ice with a good rush, and everyone was working hard," Duchene told NBCSN during the second intermission. "I thought our line with Connor McDavid (Oilers) and Marchand pushed the pace pretty well on the cycle."
Canada took a 4-1 lead in the third when Jenner scored off a wraparound at the right post after taking a pass from Ryan O'Reilly (Buffalo Sabres) at 5:54. O'Reilly stole the puck from United States defenseman and Sabres teammate Jake McCabe in the left-wing corner before setting up Jenner behind the net.
Marchand made it 5-1 with a shorthanded goal 11:16 into the third. Duchene made the play happen when he blocked an attempted pass by Matthews before sliding the puck to Marchand.
Hall and Gallagher, who turned 24 on Friday, scored in the first to give Canada a 2-1 lead.
"It was nice (to score on my birthday)," Gallagher said. "It's actually my little sister's birthday as well. I texted her and told her I'd get her one, so that's nice."
The United States plays Belarus in its next preliminary round game Saturday in St. Petersburg (1:15 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TSN).
"We've got to fix some things in the defensive zone," U.S. captain Matt Hendricks told the IIHF website. "Our structure broke down too many times tonight and gave them too many opportunities. A team with that type of high-end skill, they're going to find the back of the net."
yn’s quick release from the left faceoff circle.
