Sammy Blais scored twice as Canada beat Germany 5-2 to capture gold at the men’s world hockey championship in Tempere, Finland, on Sunday.
Lawson Crouse, captain Tyler Toffoli and Scott Laughton also scored, and Peyton Krebs pitched in two assists for Canada.
JJ Peterka and Daniel Fischbuch had the goals for Germany. Moritz Seider added two assists.
Goaltender Samuel Montembeault made 21 saves for Canada, while German netminder Mathias Niederberger turned away 23 shots.
Canada won gold for the second time in three years after losing to Finland in overtime in last year’s world championship gold-medal game.
Latvia beat the United States 4-3 in overtime in the bronze-medal game earlier to earn its first-ever medal at the tournament.
Peterka opened the scoring for Germany at 7:44 of the first period with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle off a breakout that beat Montembeault.
Blais responded three minutes later, scoring in his third consecutive game after finishing off a pass from centre Peyton Krebs on a two-on-one to tie the game at 1-1.
Fischbuch gave Germany the lead again on a one-timer from the slot that trickled into the net 13:47 into the second period.
Canada replied with Crouse deflecting a pass from Krebs on the power play with 2:32 remaining in the second frame.
Blais then buried his second of the game 4:51 into the third period with a backhand off a rebound to put Canada ahead.
Toffoli added an insurance marker with eight minutes left, scoring with a wrist shot on a two-on-one to make it 4-2 in favour of Canada.
Laughton scored into an empty net with two minutes left to put the game out of reach.
The medal was Canada’s 28th gold at the event and 53rd overall. Canada has won gold or silver at the last eight world championships, after a five-year medal drought from 2010 to 2014. The former Soviet Union/Russia combined total of 47 is the next highest.
The silver was Germany’s best finish since finishing fourth in 2021. A German team had not won any kind of medal since the former West Germany took silver in 1953.
