US 3, Finland 2 (OT)
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Nick Bjugstad scored with 1:52 left in overtime and Team USA opened defense of its world junior title with a 3-2 win over Finland on Sunday night.
Bjugstad snapped a wrist shot that got by goalie Joni Ortio, who stopped 27 of 30 shots.
Goalie Jack Campbell stopped 32 of 34 shots. Justin Faulk and Jason Zucker also scored for the U.S. while Joonas Nattinen and Iiro Pakarinen - who tied the game with 7:01 left in the third - tallied for Finland.
Team USA took a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal as Faulk's slap shot from the point sailed over Ortio's shoulder at 18:54 of the first period.
Finland broke through at 13:50 of the second after Campbell misplayed the puck behind his net. Toni Rajala chipped the puck from Campbell, and then sent a pass to Nattinen who evened the game at 1-1.
Just a minute, 18 seconds later, Zucker gave the US a 2-1 lead. Chris Brown's forecheck caused a turnover deep in the Finland zone. Zucker pounced on the loose puck and beat Ortio on the short side.
Switzerland 4, Germany 3
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Nino Niederreiter scored once and set-up another during a four-goal, first-period blitz that carried Switzerland past Germany 4-3 Sunday in the opening game at the world junior hockey championship.
The New York Islanders first-round pick, fifth overall in 2010, scored 9:21 into the game to make it 2-0 and then assisted on Romain Loeffel's goal 27 seconds later.
Luca Camperchiolo scored at 13:25 to make it 4-0 and chase Philipp Grubauer from the German net.
Niklas Treutle stopped all 12 shots he faced the rest of the way, but a German rally fell short.
Matthias Plachta scored and assisted on Marcel Noebels' goal, while Corey Mapes made it a one-goal game at 15:19 of the third period.
Benjamin Conz shut the door from there, and finished with 32 saves.
Inti Pestoni scored opened the scoring for Switzerland 4:31 into play.
Elsewhere, Sweden pounded Norway 7-1 while the United States was set to meet Finland.
Sweden 7, Norway 1
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. - Patrick Cehlin scored twice and had an assist as Sweden routed Norway in its tournament opener.
Sebastian Wannstrom, Carl Klingberg, John Klingberg, Gabriel Landeskog, and Tim Erixon also scored for Sweden, which outshout Norway 46-11.
Eirik Borresen had Norway's lone goal.
Canada 6, Russia 3
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Ryan Johansen and Brayden Schenn scored power play goals early in the third period as Canada opened the world junior hockey championship with a scrambly 6-3 victory over Russia on Sunday.
Canada went 3-for-5 with the man advantage, with Marcus Foligno getting one in the first period. Curtis Hamilton got a goal with 27 seconds left to play and defencemen Ryan Ellis and Erik Gudbranson also scored for Canada.
Maxim Kitsyn, Nikita Dvurechenski and Danil Sobchenko scored for Russia. Russian star Vladimir Tarasenko made some dazzling plays, but the St. Louis Blues prospect was held to one assist.