Teenage captain Celebrini scores 2 as Canada shuts out Italy at ice hockey worlds

FRIBOURG, Switzerland (AP) — Teenage captain Macklin Celebrini scored twice and Canada shut out Italy 6-0 at the ice hockey world championship on Saturday.

In his three-point game, the 19-year-old Celebrini netted a one-timer from the right circle after receiving a cross-ice pass from Porter Martone to make it 3-0 with 3:04 remaining in the opening period.

Celebrini followed his first goal of the tournament with his second from a backhand shot high into the net at 2:09 in the middle period for 4-0.

Canada was two wins from two in Group B in Fribourg after beating Sweden 5-3 in their opening game on Friday.

Sidney Crosby, fresh from the NHL playoffs, registered the first assist on the second goal by Celebrini. Dylan Holloway, Fraser Minten, Evan Bouchard and Ryan O’Reilly also scored and goaltender Cam Talbot saved all 19 shots he faced.

Canada next plays Denmark on Monday.

Newcomer Italy returned to the top division for the first time since 2022.

Holloway and Minten scored 47 seconds apart midway through the opening period. Holloway received a pass from John Tavares in front of the goal to beat goaltender Davide Fadani and Minten doubled the lead on a rebound.

Bouchard, on a power play, and O’Reilly completed the shutout by scoring within 25 seconds late in the second.

Finland also recorded a second win, 4-1, over Hungary in Group A in Zurich.

Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov, who missed the entire season due to an injury, had two assists for Finland.

Switzerland also kept a perfect record by winning over Latvia 4-1 after beating defending champion the United States 3-1 on Friday. Damien Riat scored twice for the host in Zurich.

Czechs stunned by Slovenia

Marcel Mahkovec scored on a breakaway 1:14 in overtime for outsider Slovenia to beat 2024 champion Czechia 3-2 in Fribourg.

It was the first victory for Slovenia over the Czechs at the worlds.

The Czechs came from a goal down to take a 2-1 lead through Martin Kaut and Lukáš Sedlák. But Anze Kuralt tied it at 8:28 in the final period to force overtime.

Czechia outshot Slovenia 34-17 in the game.

Slovenia goaltender Lukáš Horák, who was born in Czechia, stopped 32 shots.

Austria too good for Britain

Another newcomer, Britain, lost to Austria 5-2. The Austrians scored three times in the first 10 minutes of their opening game in Zurich.

Britain answered with a couple of goals through David Clements and Liam Kirk 37 seconds apart in the first period. Austria stretched the lead with two more goals in the second when Britain was restricted to only two shots on goal.

Peter Schneider scored twice for Austria.

In Fribourg, Marek Hrivik scored midway through the final period to lift Slovakia 2-1 over Norway.

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