World opener a winner
STOCKHOLM— Canada overcame its lack of preparation for the IIHF men’s world hockey championship to open with a 3-1 win over Denmark on Saturday.
Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche scored twice for Canada and Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning had the go-ahead goal in the second period. Devan Dubnyk of the Edmonton Oilers made 24 saves for the win in front of 5,577 at the Globe Arena. His Oilers teammate Jordan Eberle had a pair of assists.
Denmark captain Morten Green gave Denmark a 1-0 lead after the first period. Goaltender Simon Nielson made 33 saves on 37 shots.
The Canadians played their final games of the NHL’s regular season a week ago and arrived in Stockholm on Wednesday. They had three practices as a team before their first game of the tournament.
“I think the guys who have been in the tournament know how bad teams want to win and especially win when they play against Canada,” Canadian head coach Lindy Ruff said. “I think the guys who have played here before, it was one of their better showings.”
Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith will get the start for Canada on Sunday against Switzerland. The Swiss, coached by Canadian Sean Simpson, upset host Sweden 3-2 on the first day of the tournament.
Norway downed Slovenia 3-1earlier in Stockholm. The United States defeated Austria 5-3 in Helsinki.
Duchene, playing in his third world championship for Canada, gave the Canadians a two-goal cushion at 7:03 of the third period on a give-and-go with Jordan Eberle.
Trailing 1-0 after one period, Duchene and Stamkos put Canada up 2-1 after two periods with patient goals in the second.
Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers fed Stamkos at the side of the net. The two-time winner of the NHL’s Maurice Richard Trophy scored a diving power-play goal at 11:38. He cut across the front of the net and drew Nielson down and out of position With time running out on a Canadian power play, Duchene circled from behind the net out front and held onto the puck until he had a screened backhand shot at 10:15 to make it 1-1. Phoenix Coyotes forward Mikkel Boedker and Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Oliver Lauridsen are Denmark’s two NHL players. The Danes had time to play exhibition games prior to this tournament. They pushed Canada outside the faceoff dots on the wide ice in the first period and were adept at lifting Canada’s sticks on scoring chances from close range. With Canadian captain Eric Staal in the box for slashing, Kim Staal fed Green in the neutral zone. The Danish captain split the defence and beat Dubnyk with a backhand at 4:50. The NHL season ended three weeks later than usual because of the lockout, so the Canadians didn’t get a full training camp or any exhibition games before the championship. The Canadians looked like they didn’t know where their teammates were on the ice in the first period. Dubnyk bailed Canada out stopping Denmark on a shorthanded, odd-man rush with less than a minute to go. It was the first meeting between Canada and Denmark since 2006 and their fourth in world championships dating back to Canada’s 47-0 win over the Danes in 1949. That was the most lopsided score in world championship history. Canada and the Danes tied 2-2 in 2003. Canada last won a world title in 2007.