MOSCOW - Reigning champions Canada overpowered France 4-0 in their world championship Group B encounter to record their sixth win in as many matches in Saint Petersburg on Monday.
Canada's forward Matt Duchene (L) scores a goal past France's goalie Ronan Quemener on May 16, 2016
Canada captain Corey Perry and Ottawa Senators winger Mark Stone both collected a goal and an assist, while Calvin Pickard produced just 13 saves for a shutout setting the defending champions on their way to a 16th straight win at the worlds.
Stone put Canada on the scoreboard with a powerplay effort 8:32 into the match, while Colorado center Matt Duchene added his goal with 4:35 remaining to play in the second.
Winnipeg Jets Mark Schiefele made it 3-0 early in the third period before birthday boy Perry rounded off the scoring with 5:15 to go.
"It was a very interesting match as both teams had chances in the first period and in the second when France failed to convert a penalty shot," Canadian coach Bill Peters said.
"Our skipper Perry scored a nice goal on his birthday and that's probably the best gift he could get."
In the late Group B match Germany, who already sealed their quarter-final spot, battled from a goal down to overcome promoted Hungary 4-2 to secure their third-place finish.
Meanwhile, in the early Group A match in Moscow, Russia beat Norway 3-0 to lift themselves into second, equal on 15 points with group leaders Czech Republic.
Russia outshot their rivals 12-5 in the opening period but to no avail as Norwegians defended stoutly, while their netminder Steffen Soberg was in command of his net keeping it clean before the first break.
But he was unable to prevent a goal by Ivan Telegin, who redirected Dmitri Orlov's feeding pass into the net between Soberg's pads two minutes into the second period.
Chicago Blackhawks forward Artemi Panarin made it 2-0 for Russia with 2:08 remaining before the second intermission.
Roman Lyubimov netted Russia's third at 42:31 with a volley shot.
"Today Lady Luck was on our side," Telegin said. "We had plenty of chances in the first period but the Norwegian goalie rescued his team every time. It was a relief when we got our goals later.
"In general I'd say the Russian team enter the play-offs in good form. We just need to keep the pot boiling."
In the late Group A match Denmark beat Kazakhstan, who failed to avoid relegation, 4-1 to take the fourth spot, which gives the right to play in the knockout stage of the event.
The Danes scored three powerplay goals in the first period through Markus Lauridsen, Jannik Hansen and Nicklas Jensen before Nigel Dawes pulled one back 3:57 into the second.
Nikolaj Ehlers rounded off the scoring six minutes later when he restored Denmark's three-goal lead also on powerplay.
However, Switzerland still have a chance to leapfrog the Danes to take the last quarter-final spot if they beat group leaders the Czech Republic in regular time on the last day of preliminary round.