HERNING, Denmark (AP) — The United States routed newcomer Hungary 6-0 for its second shutout victory at the ice hockey world championship on Sunday.
Canada recorded its second win from two games by routing Latvia 7-1.
Frank Nazar had two goals and an assist, Cutter Gauthier scored twice and Conor Garland and Logan Cooley added a goal and an assist each for the Americans in the Group B game in Herning.
Nazar deflected in a shot by Logan Cooley to open the scoring with 5:53 left in the opening period and added his second 2:47 later from behind the goal line off goalie Adam Vay.
“It felt really good, obviously,” the 21-year-old Chicago Blackhawks forward said. “There’s nothing like scoring a goal and getting that feeling, especially after the NHL season’s over, continuing to score and just build that confidence and feel good out there on the ice.”
Gauthier made it 3-0 from the right circle midway through the second period.
The next two goals came within 41 seconds of each other early in the final period.
Gauthier roofed his second 1:13 into the frame and Garland netted the fifth from close range.
Cooley finished the scoring into an open net.
Goaltender Jeremy Swayman stopped 13 shots.
The U.S. had previously blanked Denmark 5-0 and will face Switzerland on Monday.
Canada wins again
Travis Konecny had two goals and an assist, Kent Johnson scored twice and Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini and Barrett Hayton also scored for Canada in Group A in Stockholm.
Captain Sidney Crosby recorded his first three assists of the tournament and Marc-Andre Fleury made 16 saves.
Crosby is playing at his third worlds and his first since 2015 when he captained Canada to gold.
Eduards Tralmaks surprised the 40-year-old Fleury in his debut at the worlds 7:05 into the game with a wrist shot, the first shot on goal.
Konecny and MacKinnon needed a 61-second span to turn things around.
Konecny leveled at 9:30 into the opening period, redirecting a pass from Travis Sanheim into the net. MacKinnon was in front of the goal to net off a pass from Bo Horvat.
Johnson increased the lead 7:11 into the middle period with a backhand shot and added his second after skating to the slot before wristing a shot past goalie Gustavs Grigals midway through the period.
Konecny netted a shorthanded goal with 24 seconds remaining to make it 5-1.
Celebrini scored from the left circle and Hayton finished it off with a slap shot in the final period.
Next, Canada plays France on Tuesday.
In Herning, defending champion Czech Republic had to fight hard to top Norway 2-1, while Germany defeated Kazakhstan 4-1.
In Stockholm, Finland’s Juuso Parssinen scored 1:24 into overtime as Finland beat France 4-3, and Slovakia recorded its first win in Group A, a 3-1 victory over Slovenia.
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