HELSINKI, Finland -- Canada received an early wakeup call at the IIHF World Hockey Championship with a rare loss to the United States.
Jack Johnson scored his second goal of the game 1:47 into overtime Saturday as the Americans edged Canada 5-4. It was the first time they had beaten Canada at this event since 2001 and just the fourth time in 42 tries overall.
The goal came with John Tavares in the penalty box for a delay of game penalty.
The U.S. came to this tournament looking to make amends for a dismal world championship record and was full value for the victory.
Jim Slater Patrick Dwyer and Nate Thompson also scored for the Americans (2-0-0)
John Tavares, Jeff Skinner, Evander Kane and Duncan Keith replied for Canada (1-0-1).
It didn't take the Americans very long to show Canada that a tough test was in store.
Slater skated into the offensive zone and ripped a shot past Ward at 1:10 of the first period. The Winnipeg Jets forward celebrated with an exuberant fist pump.
The Canadians quickly got that back when Keith feathered a pass to Tavares, who outwaited Jimmy Howard to make it 1-1 at 6:38.
Ward was thrust on to centre stage thanks to some stellar saves. He denied Max Pacioretty on a breakaway before robbing Kyle Okposo of a sure goal with the paddle of his stick just before the first intermission.
Even after Skinner got his first of the tournament at 7:34 of the second period to make it 2-1 for Canada, the Americans continued to have the best scoring chances. Ward made a nice pad stop on a J.T. Brown chance and denied Paul Stastny from in close.
But Johnson eventually broke through on a power play. The U.S. captain scored with a high wrist shot at 13:54 to make it 2-2 heading to the third period.
Dwyer put the Americans back ahead at 6:43 by collecting a turnover behind the goal and stuffing it behind Ward, his teammate with the Carolina Hurricanes. But Kane tied it up a little over three minutes later with a nice wrist shot that Howard got a piece of.
It looked like the U.S. would claim victory in regulation when Thompson swatted a puck behind Ward with less than four minutes to play, but Keith tied it up at 18:21 with a slapshot through traffic.
Notes: Canadian defenceman Marc Methot was activated before the game ... That made junior prospect Ryan Murray the odd man out. He was used sparingly ... The U.S. has just two bronze medals at the world championship in the last 40 years ... Announced attendance was 6,842 at Hartwall Arena.
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