Canada opened its campaign at the International Ice Hockey Federation world championship with a convincing 3‑1 victory over Slovenia in Fribourg. The Canadian side dominated possession, outshooting the Slovenians 32‑14, and built a comfortable lead early in the game.
Emmitt Finnie opened the scoring and added an assist, while Denton Mateychuk and Dylan Cozens contributed goals. Goalie Jet Greaves turned away 13 shots, preserving the lead. Mateychuk’s first world‑championship goal came at 11:07 of the opening period, and Cozens struck his third of the tournament with 6:46 left in the middle frame. Captain Sidney Crosby contributed his sixth assist of the tournament, and Morgan Rielly’s shot was deflected by Finnie to make it 3‑0 before Slovenia’s Rozle Bohinc slipped a consolation goal with 1:05 remaining.
Key Performances and Upcoming Fixtures
With the win, Canada sits atop Group B, holding a perfect record of four regulation victories and one overtime win. The team is scheduled to face Slovakia on Sunday, a match that could further cement their lead. Meanwhile, Germany secured its first win of the tournament, defeating Hungary 6‑2 in a high‑scoring affair that featured a Leon Gawanke hat trick. The tournament schedule also includes a Friday double‑header in Zurich, where Finland will meet Britain, and in Fribourg, where Sweden will take on Italy. These early fixtures set the stage for a competitive group stage as teams jockey for positioning ahead of the knockout rounds.