Credit: Hockey Canada [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/0689205b-dbd9-4f2c-9007-5a6f4179015e.jpeg] Credit: Hockey Canada After recording no points in Team Canada's IIHF Men's World Championship opener [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/world-championship-canada-defeats-slovenia-4-0] against Slovenia, Pittsburgh Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins]' captain Sidney Crosby finally broke the scoresheet on Sunday. The Canadians beat Team Latvia, 7-1, and Crosby recorded three assists. Travis Konecny also put up three points (two goals, one assist), and youngster Kent Johnson potted two goals. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/marc-andre-fleury-reunites-with-sidney-crosby-at-iihf-world-championships] also earned his first career World Championship win in a 16-save effort and was named Player of the Game. "Every time you can wear the Canada jersey, it's such a great experience," Fleury said. "Always an honor to be able to play with that jersey on. A chance to play with these guys in the locker room, too, was very appealing... so why not? It's a lot of fun, and I'm going to try to enjoy this as much as I can." Latvia actually opened the scoring just over seven minutes into the game with a goal from Eduards Tralmaks. The Canadians responded a few minutes later with the first of Konecny's goals, on which Crosby earned the secondary assist. A minute later, Bo Horvat fed Nathan MacKinnon in the low slot area from below the goal line, and the Colorado Avalanche star forward put it home for his third goal of the tournament. And from there, Canada just kept piling on. The second period saw three goals, including back-to-back tallies from Johnson midway through the period - and Crosby assisted on the first. And in the waning seconds of the middle frame, Konecny rifled a shorthanded goal from the right circle off a turnover by Latvian forward Egle Haralds to make it 5-1. Then, in the third period, Macklin Celebrini [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/its-a-dream-come-true-young-nhl-star-has-high-praise-for-penguins-crosby] registered his first goal of the tournament off a cross-ice feed on the rush from Konecny, with Crosby, again, notching the secondary assist. Barrett Hayton capped off the scoring later in the period to give Canada the 7-1 win. Canada - off to a 2-0 start to the tournament - will next face off against France on Tuesday. 'It's A Dream Come True': Young NHL Star Has High Praise For Penguins' Crosby [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/a9d80ee1-b74a-4059-bb49-43167a075cae.jpeg] 'It's A Dream Come True': Young NHL Star Has High Praise For Penguins' Crosby Team Canada really got a roster boost in the days leading up to the 2025 IIHF Men's World Championship, as stars like <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/colorado-avalanche/">Colorado Avalanche</a> forward Nathan MacKinnon, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders">New York Islanders</a> forward Bo Horvat, and <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' captain Sidney Crosby joined the fold. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/its-a-dream-come-true-young-nhl-star-has-high-praise-for-penguins-crosby] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwquDfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
