U.S. blanks Denmark 5-0 and Czechs beat Switzerland 5-4 on 1st day of ice hockey worlds

HERNING, Denmark >> The United States blanked Denmark 5-0 on the opening day of the ice hockey world championship on Friday.

Matty Beniers led the Americans with two goals, Cutter Gauthier and Mason Lohrei had a goal and an assist each, and Logan Cooley also scored in a Group B game played in Herning, Denmark.

Michael Kesselring had two assists and goaltender Joey Daccord recorded a 26-shot shutout.

“Any time a goalie gets a shutout is a team result,” Daccord said after his debut at the worlds.

Gauthier opened the scoring from the slot with 2:08 left in the opening period.

Cooley doubled the advantage on a power play, Beniers added on a rebound in the middle period and Lohrei made it 4-0 from the point midway through the final period. Beniers one-timed a slap shot for his second with 3:44 remaining.

Sweden shut out Slovakia 5-0 to delight the home crowd in Stockholm in Group A.

Mikael Backlund, Leo Carlsson and Jonas Brodin scored 8:37 apart in the second part of the opening period to give Sweden a commanding 3-0 lead.

Alcaraz beats Lajovic in return from injury at Italian Open

ROME >> Carlos Alcaraz returned from a brief injury layoff and didn’t appear to have any issues during a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Serbian qualifier Dusan Lajovic at the Italian Open on Friday.

The third-ranked Alcaraz withdrew from the Madrid Open last month due to an upper right leg ailment that bothered him during the Barcelona Open final. He also had a left leg injury.

Against Lajovic, Alcaraz wore a long black brace that covered the upper portion of his right leg and stretched down to just below his knee.

“The body felt great,” Alcaraz said. “I just moved well. I made a few good sprints today without any pain. ... It was a test for me so I think I passed the test today.”

“It was a great performance, great level, which was surprising for me a little bit, but just really happy for that,” Alcaraz added.

Alcaraz won the opening four games but dropped his serve when he served for the first set at 5-2. The Spaniard broke back in the next game to close it out, showing off his speed on the clay court at the Foro Italico when he ran down a drop shot and produced a backhand winner on one key point.

Frost forward Curl-Salemme to miss Game 2 of PWHL semis vs Toronto due to suspension

The PWHL assessed Minnesota Frost forward Britta Curl-Salemme a one-game suspension on Friday for an illegal check to the head of Toronto defenseman Renata Fast in Game 1 of their semifinal playoff series.

It’s the third one-game suspension for Curl-Salemme this season, and the rookie will miss Game 2 of the semifinals on Friday night. Toronto leads the best-of-five series following a 3-2 win on Wednesday.

The PWHL’s player safety committee ruled Curl-Salemme could have avoided making contact to Fast’s head when leaning into the Toronto player along the boards while trying to break the puck out of the Frost zone during the second period. Curl-Salemme was issued a major penalty and game misconduct for the check.

She was previously suspended for a high-sticking violation in January and an illegal hit to the head in March.

— The Associated Press