Lawson Crouse of Canada, center, scores past the goalie Nikita Boyarkin of Kazakhstan, during the group B match between Canada and Kazakhstan at the ice hockey world championship in Riga, Latvia, Wednesday, May 17, 2023. Crouse scored twice as Canada remained unbeaten at the world hockey championship with a 5-1 win over Kazakhstan on Wednesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Roman Koksarov
RIGA, Latvia – Lawson Crouse scored twice as Canada remained unbeaten at the world hockey championship with a 5-1 win over Kazakhstan on Wednesday.
Joe Veleno and Sammy Blais each had a goal and two assists for Canada (4-0, 11 points), while MacKenzie Weegar added a goal and an assist.
Adil Beketayev had Kazakhstan’s only goal.
Joel Hofer stopped 16 shots for Canada in his national team debut.
Nikita Boyarkin made 35 saves for Kazakhstan.
Weegar took the only penalty in the disciplined game when he was whistled for tripping in the second period.
Canada, which has the next two days off, moved two points ahead of idle Switzerland fort top spot in Group B. The two teams will meet Saturday.
Switzerland, which has yet to concede a goal at the tournament and has a full nine points from three regulation wins, returns to action Thursday against Slovakia.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 17, 2023.
