Defending champ Canada, US win openers at ice hockey worlds
HELSINKI, Finland (AP) — Pierre-Luc Dubois scored twice and led defending champion Canada to a 5-3 victory over Germany in their opening game at the world ice hockey championship in Helsinki. The United States cruised past Latvia 4-1 in their opener in Group B. U.S. captain Seth Jones had a power play goal and added an assist on a shorthanded goal. In another Group B game, last year’s runner-up Finland blanked Norway 5-0. Slovakia defeated France 4-2 in Group A. It is the first world championship without any Russian representation since 1962. After Russia invaded Ukraine, organizers excluded Russia and its ally Belarus and replaced them with France and Austria.