MOSCOW - Defending champions Canada overpowered Germany 5-2 in their world championship Group B encounter to record their fourth win in as many matches in Saint Petersburg on Thursday.
Canada's forward Brad Marchand attacks Germany's goalie Timo Pielmeier during the group B preliminary round game at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Saint Petersburg on May 12, 2016
Edmonton Oilers winger Taylor Hall scored twice, while Cam Talbot produced 17 saves to set Canada on their way to the 14th consecutive win at the worlds, which put them back on top of their group table.
Hall put Canada in front 3:54 into the game, while Anaheim Ducks winger Corey Perry added a powerplay goal in the second period before Patrick Reimer and Sinan Akdag scored within the space of seven minutes to level at 2-2.
After the second break Hall restored Canada's lead with his second of the match, while Columbus' center Boone Jenner and Ottawa defender Cody Ceci were also on target to close out the game.
"We knew we faced good opponents, and we had a couple of breakdowns," Canada skipper Perry said.
"They capitalized on it. We talked (about it) between the second and third.
"We just had to be a little quicker to the puck, a little more physical, and start to wear their defence down. Once we did, we got some bounces."
- USA beat France -
In the early Group B match the United States earned a 4-0 win over France, their second victory at the event.
"It was a real team effort out there," USA 'keeper Mike Condon, who produced 19 saves for a shutout, said.
"We tried to play our game and do the things we needed to get the win. That was important for us, and we're happy to come out with the win."
After a goalless first period Ottawa Senators blueliner Chris Wideman, Arizona Coyotes rear guard Connor Murphy and J.T. Compher all scored in just over five minutes in the second to put USA 3-0 up.
Brady Skjei of New York Rangers added gloss in the third to complete the US team's win, which lifted last year's bronze medalists to third.
In the early Group A match in Moscow Lukas Kaspar scored twice, while Dominik Furch made 26 saves to notch his second shutout at the event leading Czech Republic to a crushing 7-0 win over Norway.
Roman Cervenka, Tomas Zohorna and Robert Kousal all scored in the opening period to give the Czech team a commanding 3-0 lead.
In the second Kaspar scored twice, while Radim Simek and Michal Repik added one apiece.
"My men were in a brave mood today," Czech Republic head coach Vladimir Vujtek said.
"We started well, we played fast-speed hockey and peppered our opponents net with shots throughout two periods.
"In the third we decided to spare our strength a little bit taking into consideration that we face Kazakhstan on Friday."
Later in Moscow hosts Russia thrashed Denmark 10-1 to lift themselves to second in Group A.
Russia outshot the Danes 16-2 to score three times in the first period through Alexei Marchenko, Maxim Chudinov and Nikta Zaitsev.
Vancouver Canucks right wing Jannik Hansen reduced the arrears halfway into the second but Sergei Mozyakin netted twice, while Sergei Shirokov and Yevgeny Dadonov added a goal apiece to give Russia a 7-1 lead.
In the third period Vadim Shipachyov also scored two quick goals before Artemi Panarin completed Denmark's rout with 4:29 remaining on powerplay.