MacKinnon scores twice as Canada beats Austria 5-1 at ice hockey worlds

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals to lead Canada to a 5-1 victory over Austria at the ice hockey world championship on Thursday.

The Colorado Avalanche center also had an assist to help move Canada atop Group A with Sweden. Both teams have 4-0 records and 12 points.

Travis Konecny and Will Cuylle scored and added an assist each for Canada, Sidney Crosby also scored and defenseman Brandon Montour had three assists. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 15 shots in net.

With Canada 1-0 down, MacKinnon took care of the comeback in the middle period. He started the rally 1:59 into the frame, scoring from the top of the left circle just eight seconds into a power play.

MacKinnon one-timed a slap shot to put Canada 2-1 ahead with 6:50 remaining when the referee was signaling a penalty and Canada pulled Fleury for the extra attacker.

“He’s a really good player, competitor, really good habits off the ice and on the ice as well,” Cuylle said about linemate MacKinnon. “Just trying to learn what he does and see if I can take a little bit of something from him. I liked the way we bounced back in the second.”

Konecny added the third 8:32 into the final period, knocking in a cross goal pass from Cuylle. Konecny fed Cuylle with 8:18 left to roof a slap shot to make it 4-1.

Crosby completed the win with his second goal at the tournament with 1:33 remaining.

Vinzenz Rohrer gave the Austrians a 1-0 lead 11:20 into the game on a breakaway. It was only the second goal Canada conceded in its four games.

Austria goaltender Florian Vorauer made 23 saves in the first period.

Austria has two points from four games played.

In Herning, defending champion Czech Republic cruised past newcomer Hungary 6-1 to take the Group B lead with 11 points.

David Pastrnak led the Czechs with two goals and an assist. Jakub Flek, Petr Kodytek, Ondrej Beranek and Lukas Sedlak also scored.

Earlier in Herning, Sven Andrighetto scored four goals to lift Switzerland to a 5-1 victory over Germany.

Switzerland is second in Group B with 10 points. Germany is in third after registering its first loss.

After Damien Riat opened the scoring 4:25 into the middle period, Andrighetto needed a span of 9:04 to complete a hat trick and build a four-goal lead in the frame.

He added with his fourth — and second on a power play — in the final period.

Swiss goaltender Leonardo Genoni made 21 saves.

Following problems with the quality of the ice in Herning, organizers extended the time for breaks between the periods from 15 to 17 minutes.

On Tuesday, play had to be suspended in the opening period of a game between Germany and Norway and again in the middle period due to a hole in the ice.

In Stockholm, Finland routed Slovenia 9-1 to move to the third place in Group A with eight points. Slovenia remains without a point. Eeli Tolvanen scored four goals for Finland.

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