<p>The opening weekend of the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship is over, and it certainly was a doozy.</p>



<p>The two early games weren’t particularly close, especially in the Finland vs. Great Britain game. Montreal Canadiens prospect Oliver Kapanen scored a hat-trick and Mikael Granlund had four assists as the Finns skated out to an easy 8-0 win over a tired British squad. In the other game, Slovakia pumped Kazakhstan 6-2, with Libor Hudacek and Martin Pospisil getting most of the damage done for the Slovaks.</p>



<p>In the mid-afternoon games, Canada skated out to a convincing 5-1 win over Denmark, a much more complete effort than they showed in the opening game against Great Britain. A great late-game effort by Latvia helped them win their second overtime game of the tournament, beating France 3-2. </p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="135"></div>



<p>To cap off the weekend action, Sweden showed no remorse in a 5-1 beatdown of Poland to stay perfect through two games. The best game of the day, though, was the wild affair between Switzerland and Austria, with Nico Hischier registering a hat-trick on the power play to finish off a 6-5 victory. </p>



<p>After three days, Canada, Switzerland and Sweden are the three teams with six points, with Latvia registering four points in their two quarterfinal games. Three teams in Group A – Austria, Norway and Great Britain – are all without points, while every team in Group B still has at least one.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Canada</h2>



<p><strong>#98 Connor Bedard, RW (Chicago Blackhawks): </strong>With all eyes on Bedard, he started his hot play by opening the scoring in the first period. Then, in typical Bedard fashion in the second, he rifled home another goal, notching his fourth in just two games. The 18-year-old would then feed Pierre-Luc Dubois with a tape-to-tape pass to make it 5-1. Bedard is up to four goals and five points after just two games.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="177"></div>



<p><strong>#50 Jordan Binnington, G (St. Louis Blues): </strong>Binnington held it together in a frantic second period that saw Denmark have several chances to score. He made 19 saves in a game that earned him player of the game honors. He wasn’t too busy, but he was solid whenever he needed to be. </p>



<p><strong>#3 Olen Zellweger, D (Anaheim Ducks): </strong>Zellweger commanded the blueline and found himself on the scoresheet on Dubois’ goal to make it 5-1 Canada. Zellweger’s calm composure was evident as he was thrown on the first power-play unit with Bedard. He didn’t skip a beat while trying to make plays and found an open Bedard on the wing to register an assist. He’s been great in his first tournament appearance against men.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Denmark</h2>



<p><strong>#80 Frederik Dichow: </strong>Dichow was solid for Denmark in a game that easily could have gotten out of control. In the third period alone, the Danish netminder stopped over 20 shots after a flurry of chances from Canada. The former Montreal Canadiens prospect faced 41 shots on goal and made 37 saves in one of the hardest matchups he’ll face this month.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="187"></div>



<p><em>By Colton Davies</em></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sweden</h2>



<p><strong>#23 Lucas Raymond, RW (Detroit Red Wings):</strong> Outside of Connor Bedard’s line, this Raymond-Eriksson Ek-Kempe line is arguably the most exciting trio to watch so far. They have combined for eight points in just two games, with Raymond scoring the 2-0 goal. He had another big chance in the first to make it 3-0 but was denied by Zabolotny.</p>



<p><strong>#77 Victor Hedman, D (Tampa Bay Lightning): </strong>The monster Swede helped open the scoring right away in the game on Marcus Johansson’s goal. Hedman quarterbacked the first power-play unit and had a couple of one-timer chances with his bomb of a slapshot to create chaos in front of the net. Hedman brought the puck up the ice in the third and made a quick move, getting three Polish players to bite before feeding Karlsson in the wheelhouse for the one-timer. Hedman finished the night with two assists.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="3" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="149"></div>



<p><strong>#65 Erik Karlsson, D (Pittsburgh Penguins):</strong> What isn’t there to love about watching Karlsson on the international stage? His offensive tendencies were on full display, with the big-time defensive goal-scorer notching a beauty on a feed from Andre Burakovsky to give Sweden the commanding 3-0 lead. Karlsson later hammered home a one-timer from Hedman for his second goal of the night to cap off one of his most dominant international performances.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Poland</h2>



<p><strong>#72 David Zabolotny G: </strong>The Polish netminder was tested early on in the game and allowed two quick goals. But after that, he seemed to find some confidence between the pipes, making a couple of crucial saves on Sweden’s powerplay chances. He finished the night with 33 saves.</p>



<p><strong>#15 Patryk Wronka C: </strong>Wronak was a deadly offensive threat throughout the game and the Swedes did their best to control him and limit his shot chances. Wronka had a chance midway through the game to get Poland on the board but Gustavsson stood tall.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="4" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="164"></div>



<p><strong>#88 Alan Lyszczarczyk, LW:&nbsp; </strong>With a Swedish turnover, Lyszczarczyk was right there to grab the puck he skated in all alone and overskated the puck but as the puck went behind the net, Lyszczarczyk grabbed it and flung a snapshot at the back of Gustavsson banking it off of him and into the net. It may not have been how the former OHLer and ECHL Kelly Cup champion dreamed of scoring on the big stage, but hey a big goal!</p>



<p><em>By Colton Davies</em></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Finland</h2>



<p><strong>#13 Jesse Puljujarvi, RW (Pittsburgh Penguins):</strong> The 26-year-old winger wasn’t a lock to make the Finns, having to fight his way through the Euro Hockey Tour to earn one of the final spots. He had three points today, just one shy of tying his season output with the Pittsburgh Penguins. When he’s confident, things happen. That was the case today.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="5" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="143"></div>



<p><strong>#64 Mikael Granlund, LW (San Jose Sharks):</strong> With four assists, magic just seemed to happen when Granlund had the puck. He did a good job of getting pucks through screens and in open areas, often waiting for the best time to make a pass instead of just throwing something toward the net. After an excellent 60-point season with the Sharks, Granlund is looking to have yet another major World Championship appearance, which was almost a given considering how he tends to dominate for the Finns here.</p>



<p><strong>#27 Oliver Kapanen, RW (Montreal Canadiens):</strong> Kapanen has already been a key piece of Finland’s attack, and now he has his first hat-trick in his first World Championship. Given his play in front of the net, it’s hard to tell he’s one of the youngest players on Finland. The 20-year-old Canadiens prospect had a great year in his native Finland, but recently signed with Timra in the SHL. Now, some wonder if he could realistically challenge for a spot on Montreal next year if the team signs him to an entry-level contract. </p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="6" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="179"></div>



<p><strong>#7 Oliwer Kaski, D:</strong> Kaski’s point shot was crucial in Finland making it a 2-0 game, with both of his first two scoring attempts getting redirected in. That’s what made NHL teams so interested in him a few years back; he knew how to put the puck in a spot where forwards in front can make something happen. His excellent first first half helped set the tone for today.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Great Britain</h2>



<p><strong>#48 Johnny Curran, RW: </strong>Curran didn’t put anything on the scoresheet, but he had a pair of good looks in the first period and was one of the only GB players who had a decent chance in close. It wasn’t much to write home about, but Curran made himself difficult to play against around the net, at least.</p>



<p><em>By Steven Ellis</em></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-slovakia">Slovakia</h2>



<p><strong>#17 Simon Nemec, D (New Jersey Devils):</strong> Nemec had two assists, including a primary on the 1-0 power-play goal. The Slovaks weren’t too busy in their own zone but Nemec made sure limit the high-quality chances along the net. He’s always good for Slovakia, but after a year in the NHL, you can tell the calm and posie play is fully evident now.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="7" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="193"></div>



<p><strong>#76 Martin Pospisil, C (Calgary Flames):</strong> After making himself more of an enemy against Germany, Pospisil opened the scoring at 11:54 before making it 5-1 with an early third-period goal. The team’s No. 1 center didn’t have many difficult matchups today because he typically overpowered them. </p>



<p><strong>#79 Libor Hudacek, RW: </strong>Hudacek was busy, scoring a penalty shot goal before adding two assists. His puck play was what really stood out, and not just when it led to a goal, either. Hudacek did a great job of protecting the puck, winning battles along the boards and then, of course, finding lanes in front of the net.</p>



<p><strong>#20 Juraj Slafkovsky, RW (Montreal Canadiens):</strong> Slafkovsky had just a single secondary assist on the power play, but it was his defensive and physical game that stood out today. It seemed like his opponents struggled to stay calm around him because he kept getting under their skin while also backchecking as hard as we’ve seen him do it. He’s playing great, Habs fans.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="8" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="169"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kazakhstan">Kazakhstan</h2>



<p><strong>#23 Maxim Mukhametov, C:</strong> Mukhametov made a great pass that led to the Kazakh goal early in the second, helping to spark the team’s mid-game push. It didn’t a whole lot, but Mukhametov did have a few chances in close that would have gone in had Kazakhstan just had more natural scorers to choose from.</p>



<p><em>By Steven Ellis</em></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">France</h2>



<p><strong>#14 Stephane Da Costa, C:</strong> The former NHL forward had a goal and an assist, which included the ice-breaking power-play goal and an assist on the game-tying goal with just over three minutes to go. Compared to the rest of the French roster, you can see just how well he sees the ice and uses it to his advantage thanks to his pure speed and skill advantage.</p>



<p><strong>#33 Julian Junca, G:</strong> He ultimately lost the game, but Junca kept things close. He made 22 stops in the first two periods before things started to fall apart in the third period, but not of his own doing. As a backup, you need performances like today, even if the lost points could hurt down the line.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="9" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="182"></div>



<p><strong>#41 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, C (Seattle Kraken):</strong> His veteran presence came up clutch today, helping the team stay calm and relaxed even after allowing their lead slip away in the third period. He scored the tying goal to force overtime, capping off a game that saw him register four shots on net.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Latvia</h2>



<p><strong>#16 Kaspars Daugavins, RW:</strong> After scoring the game-winning goal yesterday, Daugavins set up the 2-1 goal before getting a second consecutive OT winner. Daugavins has been so important for this team early on thanks to his skill and relentless play in front of the net.</p>



<p><strong>#30 Elvis Merzlikins, G (Columbus Blue Jackets):</strong> A much better game for Merzlikins today, who couldn’t do much on the two goals against. He wasn’t as busy as Junca, but he was sharp, made some great saves and looked dialed in. The Latvians will need more of that this year if they’re going to go as far they did a year ago.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="10" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="158"></div>



<p><em>By Steven Ellis</em></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Austria</h2>



<p><strong>#21 Lukas Haudum, RW:</strong> Talk about efficiency – two goals on two shots. Haudum’s second-period performance helped get Austria on the right track in a game where momentum seemed impossible to maintain, flashing some nice hands and a great shot release. Austria needs more of that as Marco Rossi continues to stay quiet.</p>



<p><strong>#92 Clemens Unterweger, D</strong>: Unterweger was Austria’s best defenseman in both ends, earning himself a three-point effort. He anchored the blueline on the power play, helping to set up Haudum on both of his goals and blasting in the opening goal at 4:15.</p>



<p><strong>#52 Paul Huber, LW: </strong>Huber was Austria’s best 5-on-5 shooter, and he helped the team come out with a 2-0 win at 14:33. He also had a few good stick checks that led to breaking up Swiss scoring chances late in the game, playing more to his game that way. A good showing from someone deeper down the lineup. </p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="11" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="159"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Switzerland</h2>



<p><strong>#90 Roman Josi, D (Nashville Predators):</strong> He’s good. Yeah, shocking. He scored two goals on the power play and assisted on two of Nico Hischier’s goals. Everything came together on the power play, but Josi Josi’s speed, skill and poise with the puck is just next level at a tournament like this…</p>



<p><strong>#55 Romain Loeffel, D:</strong> … but he can’t do it all without Loeffel by his side. Loeffel was Switzerland’s top player in the first game and followed it up with a two-point game of his own. I love his patience when he needs to be, but he also proactively engages in the offensive zone as much as anyone.</p>



<p><strong>#13 Nico Hischier, C (New Jersey Devils): </strong>A four-point night – including a hat-trick – for the Devils’ forward helped keep the team alive in a game they just looked ugly in. Hischier was involved in so many high-danger chances and had over a 70 percent faceoff percentage as the Swiss relied on him heavily again. Hischier scored the game-winning goal with under a minute to go, completing the comeback. I love his work along the boards, something that made him so dangerous as a junior aged player for the Swiss national team.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="12" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="203"></div>



<p><em>By Steven Ellis</em></p>



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<p>Hey, hockey heads! Get ready for&nbsp;<a href="https://games.dailyfaceoff.com/games/playoff-parlay-challenge" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Daily Faceoff Playoff Parlay Challenge</a>! Each game day, answer four playoff prediction questions like who will win the first game, will points be over or under or what will be the highest-scoring period? Daily winners snag gift cards, while each round’s champs pocket cash! Play now at&nbsp;<a href="http://games.dailyfaceoff.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">games.dailyfaceoff.com</a>&nbsp;and prove your puck prowess! It’s fast, it’s fun, and it’s all about hockey! Let’s go!</p>



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