US beats Canada 4-2 in world junior hockey opener

HELSINKI (AP) Louis Belpedio and Auston Matthews scored in a 41-second span late in the third period to give the United States a 4-2 victory over Canada 4-2 on Saturday in their first round-robin game in the world junior hockey championship.

Belpedio, a defenseman from Miami of Ohio, broke a tie with 3:18 left. Matthews completed the scoring with 2:37 to go. He plays for ZSC Lions Zurich in Switzerland.

Boston College's Colin White and Michigan's Zach Werenski also scored. Alex Nedeljkovic made 25 saves. He plays for the Niagara IceDogs in the Ontario Hockey League.

Matt Barzal and Dylan Strome scored for defending champion Canada, and Mason McDonald made 21 saves.

In the other Group A game, Dmytro Timashov had two goals and an assist in Sweden's 8-3 victory over Switzerland 8-3.

In Group B, Russia edged the Czech Republic 2-1 in a shootout, and Finland routed Belarus 6-0. Maxim Lazarev had the lone shootout goal in Russia's victory. Jesse Puljujarvi had two goals and an assist for Finland.