John Tavares and Morgan Rielly, whose team ended the year on a seven-game losing streak, both factored in and celebrated Canada's 5-3 win over Sweden as the world championship began in Switzerland.
The duo and defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, captain of the Swedes, were in their first real game action in more than a month after playoff elimination.
Tavares and Rielly are part of a Canadian side bolstered by first-round casualties such as Sidney Crosby and Dylan Cozens.
Connor Brown, one of three ex-Leafs also in the game — along with Fraser Minten and Ryan O'Reilly — finished a well-executed 3-on-3 to break a tie in the final period. Minten's two assists earned him Canadian player of the game honours.
Toronto management also was eyeing Swedish left winger Ivar Stenberg on Friday. Playing the same position as presumptive No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna, he's considered a solid Plan B should the Leafs have second thoughts or trade out of their lottery win and bring back extra assets.
Stenberg, with 37 points in 49 games for Frolunda in the SEL, fanned on a beautiful set up in the third just before Brown's goal. He also was trusted to be out late and just missed again when Sweden went to a 6-on-5 in attempting a rally.
Why wasn't Gavin McKenna playing?
McKenna chose not to participate in the worlds after completing his first year at Penn State in order to maximize preparation for the NHL scouting combine in Buffalo in two weeks.
Tavares and Reilly both figured in Canada's 2-0 first period, Tavares scored on a clean look before goalie Magnus Hellberg could get settled while Rielly picked up the secondary assist on O'Reilly's marker at 16:00.
But Sweden, up 9-2 in shots as the second period began, came back via Jacob Larsson's pinball from long range. Ekman-Larsson got the power play rolling with Zach Whitecloud in the box, passing to Lucas Raymond who beat Jet Greaves to the glove side from almost the same shooting position as Larsson.
Cue Dylan Holloway — after Minten opened some ice for the St. Louis Blues centre to score — followed by Swede Mattias Eklholm foiling Columbus netminder Greaves, once again high from a distance.
Tavares was in some difficulty near the end of that period after Robert Hagg crosschecked him in the slot and was on the bottom of a crease pileup before Cozens made it 5-3 with a diving blind backhand.
Canada is in a pool with Sweden, Czechia, Slovakia, Norway, Denmark, Slovenia and Italy, taking on the latter Saturday.
