HELSINKI — Mitch Marner and Dylan Strome had a goal and an assist apiece as Canada rolled past Denmark 6-1 on Monday at the world junior hockey championship.
Anthony Beauvillier, John Quenneville, Matt Barzal and Lawson Crouse also scored for Canada (1-1) at Helsinki Ice Hall. Mason McDonald stopped 10 shots in what is likely his last start of the preliminary round.
It’s expected McDonald will give way to Mackenzie Blackwood on Tuesday when the Canadians face Switzerland (0-2). Blackwood had to serve the final two games of an eight-game suspension before suiting up for Canada.
READ MORE: Lowry says mistake-free hockey key for Canada in upcoming World Juniors
Alexander True scored for Denmark (1-1), while Mathias Seldrup made 52 saves in net.
After a 4-2 loss to the United States on Saturday, Canadian head coach Dave Lowry and his players said more shots on net would be needed. They delivered Monday by firing 58 shots on Seldrup, more than twice as many as Canada had against the Americans in the tournament opener.
Despite being outshot 11-4 after nearly 13 minutes of play, Denmark was the first to score as True put the puck past an outstretched McDonald. Beauvillier tied it 1-1 just over a minute later.
Canada’s offence found its form in the second period with three goals in the first six minutes of the frame. Quenneville gave Canada a 2-1 lead 1:14 into the period, scoring on a screened Seldrup.
READ MORE: Belpedio, Matthews lead United States past Canada 4-2 at world juniors
Although Quenneville was credited with the goal, Marner did most of the work by deflecting a shot off his teammate and into the net. Barzal made it 3-1 after dancing past a pair of Danish defenders and firing a snapshot over Seldrup’s shoulder for a power-play goal.
Crouse piled on, scoring just 51 seconds after Barzal for a 4-1 lead.
A pretty passing play gave Canada a four-goal cushion as Brayden Point passed to Strome, who found a wide-open Marner in the right faceoff circle. Marner hesitated only briefly before snapping the puck into the net.
The Canadian onslaught continued in the third as Strome tallied on the power-play. He dangled the puck around a Danish defender who’d fallen to one knee, before firing a wrist shot into the net for an insurance goal.
Comments