WORLDS: Samanski & Germany earn first win, Nurse assists in Canada's victory over Slovenia

SWITZERLAND – Josh Samanski had an assist in Germany's first win at the 2026 IIHF World Championship on Friday in a 6-2 win over Hungary, while Darnell Nurse produced another helper for Canada in a 3-1 result over Slovakia to remain unbeaten in Group B.

Mattias Ekholm & Sweden earned their third victory with a 3-0 shutout of Italy – their second clean sheet of the tournament – to improve to 3-0-0-2 and fourth in Group B.

Samanski was credited with a helper on Lukas Reichel's tally in the final minute of the middle frame that made it 3-0 for the Germans before they scored again only 39 seconds later through Samuel Dove-McFalls to lead by four after two periods.

Having never lost to Hungary at the World Championships, Germany extended that streak and leaped over them in the Group A standings with four points (1-0-1-3) – one back of the United States for fourth in the group and a place in the quarter-finals.

Samanski now has three assists in five games for Germany, who will face Austria next on Saturday in their second-last game of the preliminary stage.

Over in Canada's win over Slovenia in Fribourg, Nurse continued to produce with an assist and leads all Red & White defencemen with five assists through five games after getting a 'lucky break' on Dylan Cozen's 2-0 marker with 6:46 remaining in the second.

The Oilers defenceman shattered his stick in half on an attempted shot from the point, but the puck slid fortuitously into the path of Cozens to finish with a quick shot that beat Slovakia netminder Zan Us to double Canada's advantage.

Bouchard once again led Canada in ice time after finishing with 20:52.

Canada sits first in the Group B standings with 14 points (3-1-0-0) and can potentially clinch the top seed on Sunday against Slovakia, who sit in second place behind them.