Czech Republic 2, Russia 0: Goalie Lukas Parik (Los Angeles Kings) made 30 saves for the Czech Repubic in a win against Russia in a Group B preliminary round game.
Russia had not been shut out at the IIHF World Junior Championship since a 1-0 overtime loss against Sweden in the championship game on Jan. 5, 2012.
Filip Koffer (2021 NHL Draft eligible) and Martin Lang (2021 draft eligible) each scored for the Czech Republic (1-0-0-1), which had not shut out Russia (1-0-0-1) at the tournament since a 1-0 shootout victory in the championship game on Jan. 4, 2000.
Koffer opened the scoring at 16:38 of the second period when he one-timed a pass from Jakub Rychlovsky (2021 draft eligible) off the rush. The goal came at the end of a frenzied shift in which Russia hemmed the Czech Republic in its own end for more than a minute before Rychlovsky and Koffer broke the other way.
Lang scored at 5:07 of the third period for the 2-0 final.
Russia outshot the Czech Republic 30-29.
Canada 3, Slovakia 1: Forward Philip Tomasino (Nashville Predators) scored one goal and had one assist, and Devon Levi (Florida Panthers) made 17 saves on his 19th birthday for Canada in a preliminary Group A win against Slovakia.
Defenseman Jordan Spence (Kings) and forward Jack Quinn (Buffalo Sabres) also scored for Canada.
"I think we grew as a group tonight," Canada coach Andre Tourigny said. "We learned to go through adversity and we learned to keep our composure. I think we learned to be really patient with the outcome and not start panicking and force it."
Forward Martin Chromiak (Kings) scored for Slovakia (1-0-0-1), which has scored two goals in two games.
Canada (2-0-0-0) won 16-2 against Germany on Saturday but found considerably less open ice against Slovakia. Goalie Samuel Hlavaj (2021 NHL Draft eligible) made 21 saves.
Spence gave Canada a 1-0 lead at 4:08 of the first period, and Tomasino made it 2-0 at 16:25 of the third.
Chromiak made it 2-1 at 18:36, but Quinn scored an empty-net goal at 19:29.
Canada outshot Slovakia 24-18.
"After the game, we were not happy," Chromiak said. "We had so many opportunities to score the tying goal. We were unhappy. But I do think we did a really good job."
Canada was playing without defenseman Braden Schneider (New York Rangers), who was serving a one-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head. Canada was also without forward Dylan Holloway (Edmonton Oilers) because of an upper-body injury. Each played in the victory Saturday.
Finland 4, Switzerland 1: Forwards Anton Lundell (Panthers) and Kasper Simontaival (Kings) each scored a goal and had an assist for Finland in a preliminary Group A win against Switzerland.
Forwards Aku Raty (Arizona Coyotes) and Jusso Parssinnen (Predators) also scored for Finland. Forward Brad Lambert (2022 NHL Draft eligible) and defenseman Topi Niemela (Toronto Maple Leafs) each had two assists.
"I think the power play was very important," Simontaival said. "We scored two goals in the third period on the power play. I think it was important to trust the process and get some goals. I think we're playing better on the power play now."
Attilio Biasca (2021 draft eligible) opened the scoring for Switzerland at 3:44 of the first period. Finland responded 36 seconds later when Lundell tied the game 1-1 at 4:20.
Finland outshot Switzerland 12-0 in the first seven minutes of the second period and took a 2-1 lead on Parssinen's goal at 4:53. Raty and Simontaival scored in the third.
Finland outshot Switzerland 43-14.
Biasca's goal is the only one in two games for Switzerland, which lost 1-0 in its opening game against Slovakia Dec. 25. It was the only shot against Finland goalie Roope Taponen (undrafted), who made 11 saves.
Finland (2-0-0-0) has two days off before facing Slovakia on Wednesday. Switzerland (0-0-0-1) plays Canada on Tuesday.
