Canada thrash Hungary for second win in ice hockey championships

Reigning champions Canada swept past promoted Hungary 7-1 in their ice hockey world championship Group B encounter in Saint Petersburg to make it two wins from two on Sunday.

Defenceman Michael Matheson collected a goal and two assists, while Colorado Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard made 21 saves on his debut for Canada, who notched their 12th consecutive win at the worlds.

Winnipeg centre Mark Scheifele and skipper Corey Perry put Canada two goals in front, before Istvan Bartalis narrowed their lead in the first period.

Mark Stone, Brad Marchand, Derrick Brassard of New York Rangers and Matheson added one apiece in the second before Taylor Hall completed the rout in the third.

"We have to get a little bit better every period, every game," said Perry. "I thought we did that in the second and third today."

In the second Group B match, 2011 champions Finland experienced few problems against Germany on their way to a confident 5-1 win to also move onto six points from two games.

Patrik Laine and Toronto centre Leo Komarov both scored power-play goals in the opening period, while Sebastian Aho and Jamo Koskiranta stretched the lead in the second before Brooks Macek pulled one back.

18-year-old Laine rounded off the scoring with his second of the match three seconds from the end.

Slovakia, the 2002 champions, brushed aside France 5-1.

Jordann Perret put France in front in the second minute, but Slovakia replied through Andrej Sekera, Dominik Granak, Martin Bakos, Libor Hudacek and Christian Jaros to claim a solid victory.

In the early Group A match, Russia bounced back from their opening defeat to the Czech Republic, beating Kazakhstan 6-4 for a seventh win in as many meetings with their neighbours.

"Our first game was very emotional," Russia skipper Pavel Datsyuk said.

"Today it was much calmer but we still conceded too many mistakes especially when we played shorthanded.

"Besides, it's very hard to play in front of our home crowd as we feel extra pressure and responsibility."

Yevgeny Dadonov put Russia into the lead, but Dustin Boyd and Roman Starchenko scored within 58 seconds to put Kazakhstan ahead.

Russia replied through Roman Lyubimov and Sergei Mozyakin, but Yevgeny Rymarev levelled at 3-3 with 14 seconds remaining in an exciting opening period.

Anton Belov put Russia in front again late in the second, but Maxim Semyonov equalised early in the third.

Belov and Lyubimov though both scored their second goals to earn Russia's first win of the tournament.

Colorado winger Andreas Martinsen netted an overtime winner to give Norway a hard-fought 4-3 Group A victory over Switzerland.

Samuel Walser put the Swiss in front, but Olimb brothers Ken Andre and Mathis scored either side of Martin Roymark's goal to put Norway 3-1 up.

Switzerland though pulled level with third-period goals by Simon Mozer and Felicien Du Bois.

Martinsen's powerplay goal improved Norway's all-time record to six wins and six losses against Switzerland at the worlds.

2013 winners Sweden also battled back from a goal down to beat Denmark 5-2.

Nikolaj Ehlers put the Danes into the lead with a powerplay effort.

But after the break Calgary Flames' Mickael Backlund scored a brace, while Robert Rosen, Magnus Nygren and Gustav Nyquist added one each, before Jesper Jensen netted a late consolation.