Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon and Canada defeat Sweden 5-3 at the World Championship on Tuesday

Strong performances from rising star Macklin Celebrini and veteran Nathan MacKinnon led the way for Canada on Monday.

Both teams ended the preliminary round with identical records of six wins and one loss, but Canada's shootout defeat to Finland earned them an extra point, giving them the edge in Group A standings.

MacKinnon recorded a goal and two assists, Travis Konecny contributed three assists, and Sidney Crosby added two helpers for Team Canada.

For the second consecutive night, Canada electrified the crowd at Avicii Arena with their speed, high energy, and relentless offensive firepower.

Travis Sanheim got Canada off to a fast start, scoring just 18 seconds into the game and setting the tone early. Though Canada faced several penalties in the second period, they stayed composed, effectively neutralizing Sweden's power play and keeping control.

Macklin Celebrini dazzled with a highlight-reel goal, while Nathan MacKinnon added a precise finish to help lock in a lead that Sweden couldn't erase.

The loss snaps Sweden's perfect run and ramps up the intensity heading into the playoff round, with quarterfinal matchups set to begin on Thursday.

MacKinnon finished 2nd in preliminary round points with 13 (7 goals and 6 assists) through 7 games.

With the win, the Canadians finished first in Group A to play Denmark in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

Source:
IIHF.com
Canada takes first place with win