Finland defeated Latvia 3-0 at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Moncton on Thursday, though the winless Latvians gave them all they could handle.
Jani Nyman's game-opening goal at 4:43 of the first period was all the Finns would need, but a soft goal by Niko Huuhtanen midway through the game doubled their lead. An empty-netter by Konsta Kapanen, brother of NHLer Kasperi Kapanen of the Pittsburgh Penguins, iced the victory.
Jani Lampinen collected the win for Finland, who have seven points on two wins and an overtime loss, but he had to stop 31 shots in order to claim the shutout. The Finns fired 30 shots at Latvia's Patriks Berzins.
Latvia has just a single point now after three games, which came via their OT loss to Switzerland.