IIHF World Championships roundup: USA batter France, Swiss avoid slip-up against Czechs
Group A
Germany 7 Hungary 2
Germany kept their hopes of qualification alive with a 7-2 win over Hungary in Tampere.
The Germans started the game two points behind fourth-placed Denmark and they needed a fast start if they were to gain their third victory in the tournament.
They got it through Wojtek Stachowiak who opened the scoring in the eighth minute. It took them until five minutes before the end of the second period to double their advantage.
But three goals in less than three minutes - one from Moritz Seider and two from Nico Sturm gave them a four-goal cushion going into the second break.
They added a fifth soon after returning to the ice - this time through John-Jason Peterka.
Hungary, who have struggled to get any headway in this tournament, did get two goals back in the seventh and ninth minute of the third period, but, in truth, they looked unlikely to turn it around and Germany made sure that wouldn’t happen with two more of their own to seal the 7-2 win.
Check out the game summary with Flashscore.
USA 9 France 0
France's dismal tournament continued after they were routed 9-0 by high-flying USA, who won their sixth game in a row to top Group A on Sunday evening.
The most surprising thing from this contest was that it took six minutes for the US to get the party started.
Drew O'Connor was the first to get his name on the board, Cutter Gauthier and TJ Tynan both did the same before the first period was up.
Gauthier netted again in the second through a US powerplay, the only goal of the second period.
The floodgates would well and truly open in the final period, O'Connor got his second of the game before Scott Perunovich and Rocco Grimaldi added their names alongside him in what was turning out to be a busy game for the scorer.
Conor Garland added the eighth and scoring finished with Gauthier adding his third of the night. The US will likely play co-hosts Latvia in the last eight and are also likely to be seen as favourites to win the whole thing.
Check out the game summary with Flashscore.
Group B
Slovenia 0 Slovakia 1
Slovakia kept themselves in the hunt for qualification from Group B with a narrow 1-0 victory over the group’s bottom side Slovenia in Riga on Sunday afternoon.
A quiet first period saw just one powerplay for either side that Slovakia were unable to do anything from, but they were ahead just 15 seconds into the second period.
Richard Panik netted for the Slovaks after good work from Patrik Koch and Pavol Regenda.
Good defensive work kept their lead intact as they saw off two powerplays in the same period, Slovenia looking unlikely to gain a leveller.
And that was how it proved in the final period of the game, Slovakia finishing the game on eight points from six games, knowing they will need to beat Norway on Tuesday to have any hope of making it into the next round.
For Slovenia, defeat consigned them to relegation to the World Championship 1A.
Check out the game summary with Flashscore.
Czech Republic 2 Switzerland 4
Switzerland cemented their position at the summit of Group B thanks to a 4-2 victory over Czech Republic on Sunday evening.
The Swiss came into the contest with five wins from five but found themselves behind in the seventh minute of the game after Roman Cervenka netted.
That lead for the underdog Czechs lasted six minutes as Switzerland got back on level terms during a powerplay through Romain Loeffel.
Two second period goals from Andres Ambuhl helped the Swiss regain control of the game and opened up a two-goal gap on their opponents as the teams left the ice for the final break.
Brief hope was given to Czech Republic through Dominik Kubalik during a powerplay but that was short-lived as Tanner Richard slotted home to give the Swiss a sixth win from six. The Czechs will finish third in Group B, likely to play Sweden in the next stage of the tournament.