Nicklas Backstrom scored 29 seconds after the opening faceoff and Sweden went on to an 8-2 win over Latvia on Monday to claim a place in the qualifying round of ice hockey's World Championship.
In Mytischi, Shane Doan converted on a power play early in the third to complete Canada's rally and help it survive a second scare in as many games, beating Norway 4-2 in Group C.
Also in Group C, Peter Podhradsky scored twice to lead Slovakia to a 5-1 win over Germany and a place in the qualifying round, while Switzerland joined Sweden advancing out of Group A with a 2-1 victory over Italy.
Backstrom was one of eight different players to score for the defending world and Olympic champion, which improved to 2-0.
Jorgen Jonsson passed from behind the net to Backstrom, who beat Latvia goaltender Edgars Masalskis before many of Sweden's fans had settled into their seats.
"It felt good to get that early goal," said Backstrom. "Our line didn't play that well in the first game but we're starting to get some good chances and hopefully we can keep it up."
Despite having only one player from the NHL on its roster, Sweden has outscored its first two opponents by a combined 15-3.
Johan Akerman, Rickard Wallin and Fredrik Bremberg added second-period goals to give Sweden a 4-0 lead.
Latvia scored twice in 91 seconds early in the third to cut the lead to 4-2 but Backstrom set up Magnus Johansson, who beat Masalskis with a slapshot from just inside the blueline to make it 5-2 at 3:08 of the third.
Patric Hornqvist, Fredrik Warg and Dick Tarnstrom scored later in the third to complete the rout for Sweden.
Backstrom elected to play in the Swedish Elite League this season instead of joining Alexander Ovechkin in Washington. He is regarded as the most talented player to come out of Sweden in many years.
Slovakia, the 2002 world champion, scored only once in the opening period when Podhradsky shot a loose puck between Oliver Jonas' pads during a power play.
However, the Slovaks got a boost from new additions Marian Hossa, Marian Gaborik and Pavol Demitra, who were all added to the roster on Monday.
Gaborik, recovering from a virus, and Hossa, shaking off jet lag, combined for a spectacular goal.
Gaborik stormed down the boards, leapt over a prone German defenseman and fed Hossa. The Atlanta Thrashers forward then rushed the net, faked Jonas with a quick short pass to the left, which Gaborik banged in to make it 4-1.
As they did in a 3-2 win over Germany, Canada once again looked shaky early.
Lars Erik Spets slipped the puck under Carolina Hurricanes' goaltender Cam Ward to open the scoring for Norway at 9:29.
Canada equalized on a power play four minutes later when Rick Nash spun around and sent the puck just inside the right post after Doan stepped on Pal Grotnes' stick, knocking it out of the goalie's hand.
The Canadians gave a small sigh of relief when Nash's Columbus Blue Jackets teammate, Jason Chimera, put Canada ahead 2-1 with a wraparound goal less than two minutes later.
But their respite was not to last.
Canada was unable to convert on a two-man advantage early in the second period and Jonas Andersen knotted the score at 12:14, wristing the puck through Ward's five hole.
But the Canadians stepped up in the final period and Doan scored the winner 22 seconds into the period, his backhander hitting the crossbar and dropping across the goal line. Justin Williams added the insurance on another power play at 9:44.
They will face a much tougher challenge in Slovakia on Wednesday to decide the Group C winner.
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