By Amy Tennery and Janina Nuno Rios
MILAN, Feb 12 (Reuters) – Tournament favourites Canada marked their territory with a 5-0 win over Czech Republic to open their men’s Olympic ice hockey campaign on Thursday before the United States hit their stride to beat Latvia 5-1.
The two gold medal contenders in Milan highlighted the evening programme on the second day of the men’s action at Santagiulia arena.
Canada’s goalie Jordan Binnington turned away all 26 shots he faced, as 19-year-old prodigy Macklin Celebrini scored in the first period, while forwards Mark Stone, Bo Horvat, Nathan MacKinnon and Nick Suzuki added goals.
Connor McDavid notched three assists.
“There’s nobody in that room that’s entitled,” said Canada coach Jon Cooper of his team of National Hockey League stars.
“That’s what’s great about this group. Hey, listen, it’s just one game. But the way we’ve started and the way today’s gone, (I’m) pretty proud and confident.”
The NHL’s return to the Olympic stage has offered a lethal advantage to the country that regards ice hockey as a national religion, and fans piled in to see the Canadian master class.
Binnington stretched across the ice to save a prime chance from Czech forward David Kampf late in the first period and Canada got on the board when defenceman Cale Makar fired the puck toward the net and Celebrini tipped it in.
Forward Mitch Marner conjured a bit of magic in the crease in the second period, as he flipped the puck over prone Czech defenceman David Spacek and connected with his Vegas Golden Knights teammate Stone, who sent it into the net.
New York Islanders centre Horvat beat the Czech goalie to add another score with less than three minutes to go before the second intermission.
MacKinnon tapped in the fourth goal off assists from NHL points leader McDavid and captain and former Olympic hero Sidney Crosby, in a boastful display of Canada’s brightest stars. Suzuki tapped in the fifth goal off another McDavid assist.
Canada play Group A rivals Switzerland and Czech Republic face France on Friday.
UNITED STATES FIND RHYTHM
The Tkachuk brothers connected early in a rocky opening period for the United States, when Latvia successfully challenged two U.S. goals, but forward Brock Nelson scored twice in the second period to get the Americans back on track.
Forward Tage Thompson added another score in the second while captain Auston Matthews put one in during the third.
“Just tried to stick with it,” said Nelson. “All the guys were positive.”
The U.S. play Denmark and Latvia play Germany in Saturday’s Group C action.
Matthew Tkachuk fed the puck to his younger brother in the sixth minute and Brady Tkachuk fired it off the inside post, whipping the American fans into a frenzy.
Defenceman Quinn Hughes found the back of the net 90 seconds later but it was called back for offside and the Latvian forward Renars Krastenbergs pushed the puck under the U.S. goalie’s leg to level the score in the eighth minute.
JT Miller deflected in a bouncing puck as he attempted to get the Americans back on top but it was once again called off, this time for goaltender interference.
The U.S. returned to the ice a far more composed team, as Nelson got the puck around Latvia goalie Elvis Merzlikins midway through the second off an assist from Jack Hughes.
Thompson made it 3-1 with a backhand beauty up and over Merzlikins’ shoulder on the late power play and Hughes assisted Nelson on another score to close out the period.
U.S. fans’ early fears had completely melted away as Matthews flipped one in from the slot early in the third.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Milan; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Ken Ferris)
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