World ball hockey championships get rolling in Mount Pearl

Canadian teams look strong in their opening games

Swiss captain Raphael Enzler (81) and Team Canada assistant captain Avjot Sahota (72) battle for ball possession during the opening game of the men’s under-18 division of the 2018 world junior ball hockey championships Wednesday at the Mount Pearl Glacier. Watching the play are Canada’s Bryce Osepchuk (66) and goalie Romain Allemann and Yonas Berthoud (91) of Switzerland. The Canadian U18 team, whose roster includes four Newfoundlanders, won 6-2 and followed up with an 8-1 victory over Italy in an evening contest. — Joe Gibbons/The Telegram

Canadian teams posted decisive victories Wednesday, the first day of play at the 2018 world junior ball hockey championships at the Glacier in Mount Pearl.
The Canadian men’s U18 team, looking to defend the world title it won in 2016 (championships are held every two years), won twice Wednesday, defeating Switzerland 6-2 and Italy 8-1. Fogo Island native Brent Broaders, one of four Newfoundlanders on the Canadian team, has three goals through the two games.

Play in the U20 division also got underway Wednesday, with Canada winning its opener 9-0 over the United States.
The Canadian U20s, runners-up to Slovakia at the 2016 worlds, also have four Newfoundlanders on their roster, along with Gander’s Mike Dyke, an assistant coach on the team.
Preliminary-round play in both divisions continues today on the two surfaces at The Glacier, including Canada’s U18s taking on the Americans (10 a.m.) and Slovakia (6 p.m.), and the national U20 team facing the Czech Republic (8 p.m.).

All scores from Wednesday:
U18s
• Canada 6, Switzerland 2
• Slovakia 3, Great Britain 0
• Czech Republic 6, Italy 1
• United States 4, Slovakia 1
• Czech Republic 13, Great Britain 1
• Canada 8, Italy 1
U20s
Czech Republic 9, United States 1
Slovakia 11, Great Britain 0
Canada 9, United States 0