Kasper Puutio scored the final goal of the game in Finland’s 6-1 rout of Latvia. The 20-year-old defenseman, a fifth round pick (153rd overall) in 2020, logged 20:34 of ice time, registered two shots on goal and finished with a +3 rating in the easy win. Finland will take on Czechia on Thursday.
Sandis Vilmanis played 18:49 and registered one shot on goal and finished the game with a -1 rating for Latvia. He also took a holding penalty early in the second period, with the Finns cashing in on the ensuing power play.
Mackie Samoskevich put two shots on goal and played 17:34 as the United States cruised to a 5-1 win over Germany. The 19-year-old forward, who was taken 24th overall in 2021, finished the tilt with an even rating. Team USA will face Switzerland on Thursday.
Jakub Kos logged 15:58 time on ice and finished with a +1 rating in Czechia’s 5-4 comeback win over Slovakia. Kos, a sixth round pick (184th overall) in 2021, was on the ice for Martin Rysavy’s even-strength goal 2:22 into the second period, which got the Czechs on the board and cut Slovakia’s lead in half. He took, and lost, one faceoff during the game.
Today’s games
Group A
Latvia (Vilmanis) vs Canada 6 p.m. (NHL Network)
Group B
Sweden (Jansson) vs Switzerland 2 p.m. (NHL Network)
Germany vs Austria 10 p.m. (NHL Network)
Restricted free agent forward Martin Necas signed a new two-year deal worth $6 million with the Carolina Hurricanes. Necas put up 14 goals and 40 points in 78 games during the 2021-22 campaign. (Canes Country)