Canada opens world junior hockey with 5-2 win over Latvia

Connor Bedard had a goal and an assist and Canada opened play in the postponed world junior hockey championship with a 5-2 victory over Latvia on Wednesday night

ByThe Associated Press

August 10, 2022, 9:24 PM

Canada’s Zack Ostapchuk (20) and William Dufour (25) celebrate a goal against Latvia during the third period of an IIHF junior world hockey championships game Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)

The Associated Press

EDMONTON, Alberta — Connor Bedard had a goal and an assist and Canada opened play in the postponed world junior hockey championship with a 5-2 victory over Latvia on Wednesday night.

The tournament was rescheduled after being called off Dec. 29 after four days as rising COVID-19 cases forced games to be forfeited.

Ridly Greig and William Dufour also each had a goal and an assist for Canada in the Group A game. Lukas Cormier and Olen Zellweger also scored, captain Mason McTavish had two assists and Sebastian Cossa made 24 saves.

Rainers Darzins and Bogdans Hodass scored for Latvia, a 6-1 loser to Finland in its opener Tuesday. Patriks Berzins stopped 39 shots.

The Canadians will continue round-robin play Thursday against Slovakia.

Earlier in Group B, Daniel Torgersson scored twice in Sweden’s 3-2 victory over Switzerland.

Isak Rosen also scored for Sweden, and Jesper Wallstedt made 21 saves. Attilio Biasca and Dario Allenspach scored for Switzerland.

In the late game, Germany faced Austria in Group B.

The United States, a 5-1 winner over Germany on Tuesday, will face Switzerland on Thursday night.