Team Canada defeated Sweden 3-1 on Thursday to start the World Under-18 Men’s Hockey Championship.
Jake Virtanen of the Calgary Hitmen scored twice while Matt Barzal of the Seattle Thunderbirds had the other goal for the Canadians, who play their next game Saturday against Germany (8 a.m. CDT).
The Canadian team includes the Wheat Kings’ trio of John Quenneville, Jayce Hawryluk and Ryan Pilon along with Elkhorn’s Travis Sanheim of the Hitmen.
Hawryluk did not play for Canada after arriving in Finland on Wednesday, but did skate Thursday and is expected to play Saturday as he continues to come back from the upper body injury that caused him to miss Game Five of the Wheat Kings second round series against the Edmonton Oil Kings.
