The United States overcame defending champion Finland 4-1 to open the ice hockey world championship on Friday.
Alex Tuch scored two goals and Drew O'Connor had a goal and two assists to lead the U.S. Cutter Gauthier also scored and goaltender Casey DeSmith stopped 23 shots in Tampere.
Teemu Hartikainen gave the hosts a 1-0 lead late in the opening period on a power play before Ganthier tied it from the left circle in the second.
O'Connor and Tuch completed the rally midway through the final period. Tuch scored his second into an empty net.
In the Latvian capital of Riga, the Czech Republic beat Slovakia 3-2.
Last year's runner-up, Canada, faced Latvia in its opener late Friday while Sweden played Germany in Tampere.
