Bedard shines as Canada defeats Latvia at world junior hockey championship in Edmonton

Connor Bedard had a goal and an assist and Canada opened its world junior hockey championship with a decisive 5-2 victory over Latvia on Wednesday in Edmonton.

Ridly Greig and William Dufour each scored and contributed a helper, while Lukas Cormier and Olen Zellweger also found the back of the net. Captain Mason McTavish notched two assists for Canada (1-0-0).

Rainers Darzins and Bogdans Hodass put away goals for the Latvians, who were coming off a 6-1 drubbing by Finland on Tuesday.

Canada's Sebastian Cossa made 24 saves and Patriks Berzins stopped 39 of 44 shots for Latvia (0-2-0).

WATCH l Greig's one-handed goal highlights Canada's win over Latvia:

The Canadians will continue round-robin action Thursday when they take on Slovakia (0-0-1).

The 2022 tournament is being held in August after the original iteration was called off on Dec. 29 after just four days as rising COVID-19 cases among players and officials forced games to be forfeited.

Dufour gave the Canadians some breathing room with 5:16 to go in the third period. The New York Islanders prospect collected a slick pass from Greig and sending a quick shot in past Berzins to give his side a 5-2 lead.

Latvia got nine seconds of five-on-three play midway through the third when Greig was called for hooking after Kent Johnson had already been sent to the box for delay of game.

The Canadians weathered being down two men and Cossa preserved the advantage with a collection of timely stops.

Earlier in the period, Latvia cut the deficit to 4-2 on a power play after Greig was called for tripping.

Just four seconds into the man advantage, Hodas — a Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman — ripped a shot off from the top of the faceoff circle. The puck appeared to tick off Cossa's pad