Canada opens world juniors title defense with win

FUSSEN, Germany – Canada opened defense of its world junior hockey championship Thursday by edging Germany 5-4 on Patrick Poulin’s second goal of the game with 20 seconds remaining.

In other opening-day games, the United States, with Mike Dunham of the University of Maine in goal, routed Finland 5-1; Sweden ripped Czechosloakia 8-4; and the Soviet Union drubbed Switzerland 10-2.

Darryl Sydor, Tyler Wright and Jeff Nelson had the other goals for Canada. Ronny Martin, Michael Smazal, Steffen Ziesche, and Andreas Naumann scored for Germany.

“I’m glad the first game is over and that we won,” said Canadian coach Rick Cornacchia. “Getting the win is the key.”

Power-play goals from Poulin, Hartford’s No. 1 pick in this year’s entry draft, and Sydor, a defenseman for the Los Angeles Kings, gave Canada a 2-0 lead after the first period. But Martin and Smazal scored 35 seconds apart at 8:17 to pull Germany even before Ziesche’s goal at 12:46 gave the home team a 3-2 lead, much to the delight of the pro-Germany capacity crowd of 4,200.

Tyler’s unassisted goal at 15:01 pulled Canada even heading into the third.

Naumann gave Germany a 4-3 lead at 5:16, cashing in on a two-man power play, but Nelson’s deflection of Sydor’s point shot at 13:41 tied the game again before Poulin one-timed Kimbi Daniels’ pass past goaltender Marc Seliger, who played well in stopping 32 shots.

“We allowed Germany to stay in the game way too long,” Cornacchia said. “But I liked the way we fought back because it showed character.”