Junior Team Canada posted a 6-0 win over Switzerland Monday night in Moncton in its first preseason game heading into the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Captain Shane Wright finished the game with two goals, while Connor Bedard added three assists for ECJ, which outshot 42-19. Thomas Milic earned the shutout.
The Quebecers stood out in the first period, with a goal first from Joshua Roy, who took his own return. Credited with an assist already, Nathan Gaucher in turn hit the target by completing a fine play by Roy and Zach Dean.
The first line finally took over in the second period, as Brennan Othmann increased the gap with the help of Connor Bedard. The power play was also turned on, with Olen Zellweger and Shane Wright flying to make it 5-0.
Canada didn’t stop there, as Wright added his second goal of the game in the third.
The Maple Leaf was 2-for-5 on the power play, while Switzerland was 0-for-3.
Ben Gaudreau is expected to start the host team’s second preseason game on Wednesday against Slovakia.
Canada won gold for the 19th time in its history last August, at the postponed 2022 tournament.
The Swiss went 1-3 in the preliminary round of the tournament last summer and were eliminated 6-3 by Canada in the quarter-finals.
Canada’s first game at the World Junior Hockey Championship is against the Czech Republic on Boxing Day in Halifax, Nova Scotia.