MINNEAPOLIS — Seven players scored one goal each, Matyas Marik had a strong outing in the net and Czechia routed Denmark 7-2 on Saturday night at the World Junior Championship.
Marik stopped 20 of 22 shots, allowing only single goals in the first and third periods. He played in place of Michal Orsulak, who allowed seven goals in a 7-5 loss to Canada on Friday.
Tomas Galvas had a goal and two assists for the Czechs.
Czechia peppered Denmark goalkeeper Anton Wilde with 53 shots.
Both teams scored in the first 6 minutes of the game, Vojtech Cihar finding the back of the net for Czechia and Tristan Petersen tying it up for Denmark. Twelve minutes in, Matej Kubiesa put Czechia back ahead 2-1 when he scored on the power play after Denmark's Jesper Olesen received a game misconduct for a hit to the head of Matyas Man.
Czechia scored three times in the second period. Vaclav Nestrasil scored first with a wicked slapshot for a 3-1 lead before Denmark's Oliver Larsen made it 3-2. Adam Jiricek's goal at 11:20 of the second made it 4-2. Stepan Hoch scored to make it 5-2 with 5 minutes left in the period.
The Czechs scored twice in the third. Galvas scoring on an early power play and Richard Zemlicka wrapping up the scoring on a breakaway with 14 minutes left.
SLOVAKIA 4, GERMANY 1
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Tomas Chrenko netted a natural hat trick for Slovakia, leading a 4-1 win over Germany in the world junior championships on Saturday.
After Slovakia (1-0-0-1) an opening loss to 2025 fourth-place finishers Sweden on Friday, Chrenko opened his tournament tally with a spinning shot with 9:27 left in the first period after an assist from Adam Nemec. He doubled that total with 48 seconds left in the period, as Nemec set him up again in front of the crease on a power play. Andreas Straka also assisted.
Chrenko added a third goal on another power play with 6:37 left in the second period, assisted by Michal Svrcek and Luka Radivojevic.
Dustin Willhoft drew Germany (0-0-0-2) back within a two-goal deficit, scoring off an assist from David Lewandowski with 8:51 remaining. He handled the pass off the boards, then took it to his backhand and finished between goaltender Michal Pradel's legs.
Adam Belusko scored an empty net goal with 53 seconds remaining after Germany pulled goaltender Linus Vieillard.
Both teams continue play within Group A on Tuesday against a pair of strong tournament contenders, with Germany facing Sweden, and Slovakia taking on the back-to-back defending champion US team.
CANADA 2, LATVIA 1 (OT).
MINNEAPOLIS — Michael Hage scored the game-winning goal 44 seconds into overtime as Canada pushed past Latvia 2-1 in a preliminary-round game at the World Junior Championship on Saturday night.
Cole Reschny opened the scoring early in the second period, converting during a five-minute major after Martins Klaucans was assessed a game misconduct for an illegal check to the head. Gavin McKenna and Harrison Brunicke assisted on the goal.
The Latvians answered late. With 1:58 remaining in regulation, Rudolfs Berzkalns tied the game 1-1, finishing a play set up by Krisjanis Sarts and Dmitrijs Dilevka after Latvia had been limited to few opportunities through much of the third period.
A delay-of-game penalty to Roberts Naudins with 52 seconds left in regulation carried into overtime and proved decisive. Hage ended it quickly, taking a pass from McKenna and Zayne Parekh before drilling a slapshot into the net.
Jack Ivankovic stopped 26 shots for Canada. Maurins finished with 35 saves for Latvia, which was outshot in every period but kept the game tight until the end.
Latvia nearly struck first in the opening period when Markuss Sieradzkis appeared to score, but video review ruled the play a kick-in and the goal was overturned.
Both teams will face Denmark in the next round of preliminary matchups, with the Canadiens first on Monday, followed by Latvia on Tuesday.
UNITED STATES 2, SWITZERLAND 1
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Brodie Ziemer and Will Zellers both scored in the second period as the United States held off Switzerland 2-1 in preliminary-round play at the World Junior Championship on Saturday night.
Ziemer opened the scoring 1:12 into the second period, snapping a shot past Christian Kirsch to give the Americans a 1-0 lead. James Hagens and Will Horcoff assisted on the play as the United States capitalized on a quick transition chance.
Switzerland answered just over 11 minutes later as Basile Sansonnens tied the game 1-1 at 12:34, beating Nicholas Kempf from distance with a rising shot after Joel Grossniklaus and Lars Steiner set up the play.
Zellers restored the lead for the Americans 2 minutes later, finishing from a sharp angle near the left baseline on a fast break. Cole McKinney picked up the lone assist on the go-ahead goal, which stood as the winner.
The third period was scoreless as both teams pressed late. Switzerland pulled Kirsch for an extra attacker in the final minutes, and the United States followed suit earlier in the period, but neither side converted.
The game was briefly halted in the second period when U.S. defenseman Cole Hutson was stretchered off the ice after taking a puck to the back of the head. He was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and did not return.
Switzerland plays Germany on Tuesday, while the United States faces Slovakia on Monday in the next round of preliminary play.