Adedokun Waliyu 
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 Ganthier 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 Riga, MacKenzie Weeger scored a goal and added two assists to lead Canada as it routed host Latvia 6-0 in their opener.
Lawson Crouse, Scott Laughton, Samuel Blais, Joe Veleno and Jack McBain had a goal apiece to get the 2022 runner-up warmed up. Samuel Montembeault made 23 saves for the shutout.
