STAMKOS SCORES TWO, MASON SOLID AS CANADA BEATS THE CZECH REPUBLIC 5-1

KLOTEN, Switzerland – It used to be that Canadian teams would come to international hockey tournaments and risk being undone by undisciplined play.

The tables have been turned so far at this IIHF World Hockey Championship.

Chris Mason stopped 43 shots and Steven Stamkos scored two power-play goals Thursday as Canada continued its potent special teams play during a 5-1 win over the Czech Republic.

Shea Weber also scored with the man advantage while Dany Heatley and Martin St. Louis added even-strength goals for Canada (4-0).

The Canadians finished the night 3-for-5 on the power play and are now a sizzling 12-for-24 in the tournament.

Ales Hemsky had the lone goal in reply for the Czech Republic (2-2).

In Thursday's other games, Russia beat Sweden 6-5 in overtime, Belarus edged Norway 3-2 in overtime and Latvia beat Switzerland 2-1 in a shootout.

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It was the second loss in as many nights for a Czech team led by Jaromir Jagr. The 37-year-old may have spent the season away from the NHL while playing in Russia but he was easily the most dangerous player in a white Czech jersey on this night.

Jagr showed poise with the puck and buzzed all around the Canadian zone. However, he was stymied at every turn by Mason – just like most of his teammates.

The Canadian goalie is an interesting story in his own right.

He has twice come to this event as an alternate and now has back-to-back victories after finally getting into a game with the national team.

It certainly helped that his teammates built an early lead. Canada scored three power-play goals in the first period for the second straight game and was able to shut it down from there.

Stamkos made it 2-0 with goals just over six minutes apart.

The first one came after a point shot bounced off a Czech player and onto his stick while the second was scored when he took a pass from Shane Doan, brought the puck to his forehand and beat Jakub Stepanek.

Weber got the team's third power-play goal at 17:05 of the first period when he hammered home a slapshot – a virtual copy of the other three he's scored in the tournament. That chased Stepanek from the goal, the third time in four games Canada has seen its opponents pull the goaltender.

Mason did well to keep the Czechs at bay while his team gave them six straight power plays during the second and third periods.

The game got increasingly chippy as time wore on but the result was never in doubt, especially after Heatley scored 22 seconds into the final period before Stamkos set up St. Louis to make it 5-0.

Mason seemed destined to record a second straight shutout but Hemsky spoiled it by scoring on a partial breakaway with 2:40 remaining.

Goals/Buts:
07:20 CAN Steven Stamkos (Drew Doughty, Shane Doan) PP/AN
13:40 CAN Steven Stamkos (Shane Doan) PP/AN
17:05 CAN Shea Weber (Martin St. Louis) PP/AN

Penalties/Punitions:
04:19 CAN Jason Spezza (Hooking/Accrocher)
06:53 CZE Tomas Plekanec (Slashing/Coup de bâton)
12:16 CZE Jaromir Jagr (Hooking/Accrocher)
16:24 CZE Tomas Rolinek (Slashing/Coup de bâton)
18:14 CAN Steven Stamkos (Cross-checking/Double-échec)

Goals/Buts:
none / aucun

Penalties/Punitions:
03:51 CZE Ales Hemsky (Interference/Obstruction)
10:06 CZE Tomas Rolinek (Tripping/Faire trébucher)
12:36 CAN Mike Fisher (Slashing/Coup de bâton)
15:31 CAN Dany Heatley (Slashing/Coup de bâton)
18:09 CAN Dany Heatley (Hooking/Accrocher)
19:53 CZE Tomas Plekanec (Roughing/Rudesse)
19:53 CAN Dan Hamhuis (Roughing/Rudesse)

Goals/Buts:
00:22 CAN Dany Heatley
09:55 CAN Martin St. Louis (Steven Stamkos, Chris Phillips)
17:20 CZE Ales Hemsky (Jaromir Jagr)

Penalties/Punitions:
01:52 CAN Mike Fisher (Elbowing/Donner de la bande)
04:39 CAN Derek Roy (Cross-checking/Double-échec)
05:18 CAN Chris Phillips (Slashing/Coup de bâton)