TAMPERE, Finland — The United States overcame defending champion Finland 4-1 to open the ice hockey world championship on Friday.

Alex Tuch scored two targets and Drew O’Çonnor had a aim and two assists to guide the U.S. Cutter Ganthier additionally scored and goaltender Casey DeSmith stopped 23 photographs in Tampere.

Teemu Hartikainen gave the hosts a 1-0 lead late within the opening interval on an influence play earlier than Ganthier tied it from the left circle within the second.

O’Çonnor and Tuch accomplished the rally halfway by the ultimate interval. Tuch scored his second into an empty internet.

In the Latvian capital of Riga, the Czech Republic beat Slovakia 3-2.

Last 12 months’s runner-up, Canada, confronted Latvia in its opener late Friday whereas Sweden performed Germany in Tampere.

Finland and Latvia are staging the match after the internet hosting rights have been stripped from Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine. Tampere was one of many host cities final 12 months, and Riga was a bunch in 2021.

Russia and its ally Belarus are excluded from the match for the second straight 12 months.

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