WORLDS: Day 9 Coverage

For full coverage of the Oilers competing in this month's IIHF World Championship and their individual and country's performances, visit our international page at
EdmontonOilers.com/Worlds.

USA 7 DENMARK 1
Less than four days after wrapping his AHL playoff run with the Bakersfield Condors and immediately jetting off to Slovakia, Oilers forward prospect Patrick Russell has already appeared in two IIHF matchups for his native Denmark, including Saturday's battle against the Americans.
In what ended up being a big two points for the USA to keep pace in the Group A standings, Russell and the Danes weren't able to get much going. Russell saw 16:36 TOI and finished -1. Denmark moves to 1-1-0-3 on the tournament with their lone victory coming against Great Britain as they sit sixth of eight teams in the group after Satuday's game.
CANADA 8 GERMANY 1
Two Oilers teammates met up in IIHF action once again on Saturday morning in an important Group A matchup that saw Darnell Nurse and the Canadians run away from Leon Draisaitl's Germans by a score of 8-1 on the back of a Mark Stone hat-trick performance.
Despite the final score, the Germans, who entered the day undefeated, stayed within striking distance through the opening 40. Defenceman Thomas Chabot scored his first of the tournament to open the scoring for Canada two minutes into the opening frame, while Darnell Nurse would go on to set up Mark Stone for his first of the day with less than four minutes left to make it 2-0 heading into the second. The assist gives Nurse two on the tournament, coupled with one goal to bring his point total to three through five games played.
RECAP: CAN 8, GER 1
It was Stone who struck again in the middle frame for his second on the day to make it 3-0, and while a power-play marker from Yasin Ehliz in the dying minutes of the middle frame gave Germany some life, Stone completed the hat-trick just seconds later to give the Canadians the 4-1 lead after 40.
A four-goal outburst in the third sealed things for Canada as the victory lifts them to a 4-0-0-1 record, identical to that of the Germans, to give both teams 12 points. Canada and Germany now sit second and third, respectively, in Group A standings with Finland still leading the way with four wins and 13 points with their lone loss coming in overtime, accounting for the extra point.
Nurse once again shouldered big minutes on the blueline for Canada, logging a team-leading 20:48 TOI and finishing +3 in the victory.
Draisaitl chewed up 20:16 of his own, but didn't factor into Germany's single tally.
Germany's next chance to get back in the win column will come on Sunday, May 19 at 8:15am MT in a big matchup against the Americans who sits fourth just behind them with 11 points. Canada will meet Denmark on Monday, May 20 at 12:15pm MT.
SLOVAKIA 7 GREAT BRITAIN 1
Host nation Slovakia and captain Sekera got a much-needed victory to stay alive in the race for a spot in the quarter-finals with a decisive 7-1 victory over the Brits on Saturday.
And it was the captain who got the party started for his country just minutes into the game when forward David Buc drove wide of the net, curled back and zipped a pass back to Sekera at the top of the zone who rifled a wrist shot home to give the Slovaks the early 1-0 lead. Sekera continued to be a stablizing force on the blueline, not only tallying his second goal and fifth point of the tournament, but also putting up an impressive 24:21 TOI in the victory.
Sekera Rifles it Home
Slovakia went on to win quite handedly, adding six more tallies en route to the comfortable 7-1 final. Though heavily favoured in the matchup, it was nonethless an exciting victory for the host nation, who needed the three points to keep their quarter-final hopes alive for now. Idle tomorrow, they'll will be hoping for a German victory over the United States if they don't want to see their chances to advance officially dashed. Sekera and his countrymen will be back in action regardless on Tuesday, May 21 at 8:15am against Denmark.
RECAP: SVK 7, GBR 1
SWEDEN 4 SWITZERLAND 3
Over in Group B action, it was Adam Larsson and the reigning champ Swedes in action against the Swiss in what was an exciting back-and-forth affair throughout.
Sven Andrighetto opened things up for Switzerland four minutes into the game to take the 1-0 lead, with Sweden going on to knot things up before the end of the first courtesy of Alex Wennberg.
Sweden was able to grab their first lead of the game in the second when Adam Larsson feathered a wrist-shot through traffic resulting in a rebound that William Nylander was able to pick up to make it 2-1. The Oilers defenceman was credited with the secondary assist on the marker, giving him two on the tournament in addition to a goal. No stranger to big minutes at this tournament thus far, Larsson logged another 22:44 and finished +2 on the day.
RECAP: SWE 4, SUI 3
After the Swiss were able to knot things up 3-3 in the final frame, Sweden's winning goal came with less than nine minutes remaining when Oliver Ekman-Larsson jumped into the rush as the trailer and wired a wrister upstairs for the eventual game-winning goal.
Ekman-Larsson Scores GWG
With the victory, the reigning champs sit second in Group B with a 4-0-0-1 record, trailing only Russia who remains undefeated through five games played. Sweden will have their own chance to take down the Russians when the two meet on Tuesday, May 21 at 12:15pm MT.