Team USA got goals from five players and beat Austria 5-1 on Saturday in its first game at the World Hockey Championships in Slovakia.
Chris Kreider of Boston College and Blake Wheeler of the Atlanta Thrashers scored in the first period for the Americans, ranked sixth in the world. Marco Pewal beat Team USA goaltender Al Montoya of the New York Islanders from the slot with six minutes left in the second period to make it 2-1, and Phillipp Lukas of Austria had a chance to tie it 40 seconds later when he found himself wide open from the right circle in but fired wide.
The Americans then got the break they needed with 1:24 remaining in the period when the puck came off the boards and out to the left of goaltender Jurgen Penker to an open Yan Stastny. He pulled the puck to his forehand and stuffed it in the open net for a 3-1 lead.
Kevin Shattenkirk and Craig Smith added third-period goals for the Americans.
In another opening-round game, Finland got a goal and an assist by Juhamatti Aaltonen to beat Denmark 4-1, avenging an upset loss to the Danes last year.
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