The 2022 Ice Hockey World Championship in Prague has once again showcased Canada’s dominance, as they secured their sixth consecutive victory in a narrow win over Switzerland. Dylan Cozens played a crucial role in Canada’s success, scoring two goals and providing an assist. This latest triumph has placed Canada at the top of Group A with a total of 17 points, closely followed by the Czech Republic and Switzerland, all of whom have already secured their spots in the playoff round.
Throughout the tournament, Cozens has consistently demonstrated exceptional form, tallying a remarkable six goals and joining Brady Tkachuk of the United States and Oliver Kapanen of Finland at the top of the scoring table. His outstanding performance has undoubtedly been a key factor in Canada’s flawless record in the competition.
In a closely contested match, Nick Paul also made a significant contribution to Canada’s victory by finding the back of the net. Furthermore, goaltender Jordan Binnington played a crucial role with 20 saves and a crucial penalty shot denial in the second period when the game was level at 2-2.
Despite the tough challenge posed by Switzerland, Canada’s resilience shone through, with Cozens equalizing twice, the second time with a powerful shot from the left circle. Paul eventually scored the winning goal for Canada, capitalizing on a series of well-executed passes to secure a vital victory.
Looking forward, Canada is set to face the Czech Republic in their final preliminary round match, while Switzerland will take on Finland.
In Group B, the United States secured their spot in the next round with a commanding 10-1 victory over Kazakhstan. Tkachuk’s remarkable performance, which included three power play goals and an assist, propelled the United States to second place in the group.
Johnny Gaudreau also made history, becoming the United States’ record scorer with 43 points, one more than Patrick Kane. Additionally, Matt Boldy’s notable performance, with two goals and four assists, significantly contributed to the team’s success.
The win over Kazakhstan places the United States on the brink of advancing to the playoff round, with a crucial match against Latvia, who currently sits on nine points. Despite the disappointing result for Kazakhstan, Alikhan Omirbekov managed to salvage some pride with a consolation goal.
In other results, Austria secured a 4-1 victory over Norway, putting them level with Finland in fourth place in Group A.
As the tournament progresses, the stakes are higher and the intensity is palpable. With the top four teams from each group advancing to the playoff round, every game from here on out promises to be fierce and closely contested.