Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland is producing at a point-a-game clip through six games for Team USA at World Hockey Championships
Conor Garland had a goal and two assists helping Team USA demolish France 9-0 at the IIHF World Hockey Championships in Finland on Sunday.
The Vancouver Canucks winger set up the game's opening goal and then added his first goal of the tournament in the third period. On the night, the 27-year-old figured in three of Team USA's nine goals, had three shots, was +4 in 13:14 of ice time.
Through six games, Garland is a point a game contributor with his lone goal to go along with five assists. He is tied for fourth among American scorers behind Rocco Grimaldi and TJ Tynan (8 pts apiece) and Cutter Gauthier (7pts). Team USA has outscored its opponents 30-5 in the preliminary round.
Garland, who scored a hat trick in the Canucks season finale in Arizona, registered 17 goals and 46 points in his second NHL season in Vancouver. With three years remaining on a five-year/$24.75 million contract signed in 2021, Garland's name remains in trade speculation as the Canucks try to create salary cap flexibility.
Sunday's victory moves the Americans to 6-0 in the preliminary round setting up a showdown with Sweden on Tuesday for top spot in Group A. The Swedes are 5-0 with a game on Monday against Norway. A victory in that match-up will give them 17 points putting them one back of Team USA. Finland sits third in Group A but with just one game remaining in the round-robin portion of the tournament, can not catch the Americans.
The preliminary round concludes on Tuesday. The quarter-finals are set for Thursday in Tampere, FIN and Riga, Latvia.