Meanwhile Russia, comeback overtime winners against the hosts on the opening day, were themselves beaten in overtime as they went down 4-3 to Finland after a shootout.

Canada have won this Championship three times, the last occasion being in 2013, but have failed to earn a medal in the last four editions, being beaten to bronze by the United States the last time this event was held in 2019.

Nine of their players contributed to the scoreline against Sweden at the Children's Health StarCenter in Plano, with Shane Wright claiming a hat-trick, but the post-match comments of one of those scorers, Mason McTavish, made it clear that nothing will be taken for granted in the Canadian camp:

"It was a big win for our team and a lot of things went right for us tonight, but not every game is going to go this way," McTavish said.

"We are going to dissect the stuff we didn’t do well and [head coach Dave Barr] will take us through some video, but we know there is a lot of work that still needs to be done in order for us to be successful."

After their first game Canada top Group A thanks to their goal difference, with Belarus in second place having earned three points from their second game - a 7-1 beating of Switzerland.

The Canadians will have a chance to consolidate their lead in the only Group A match scheduled for day three when they play Latvia, who lost to Switzerland in their opening match.

As Russia had on the previous day, Finland, in their first match, came from behind for their overtime win after being 3-1 down in the second period and scoring twice in the final three minutes of normal time at the Comerica Center in Frisco.

After overtime failed to produce any further score, Finland - who won this title for a fourth time in 2018 - prevailed after a shootout in which they scored through Verner Miettinen and Ville Koivunen, with Russia failing to beat their netminder Aku Koskenvuo with all four of their attempts.

The Finns are due to meet the Czech Republic in the only Group B match on day three.

The US has won this Championship 10 times since it began in 1999, more than twice the number achieved by any other nation, with a last win in 2017, since when they have won silver and bronze.

After their upset against Russia, whom they led 5-1 in the second period, the hosts returned to business as usual with a 5-3 win over Germany that puts them top of Group B with four points.

For all their opening day heroics, Russia only stand third, with two points for an overtime win and one for an overtime defeat.

The Czech Republic, winners of their opening match, lead them by a goal difference of two.

Last year's tournament was called off because of the global health crisis, and the host - Michigan - was instead given the rights to the 2021 edition.

But with coronavirus restrictions looser in Texas than Michigan, the IIHF and USA Hockey moved the event from Ann Arbor and Plymouth to Frisco and Plano.

A limited number of tickets for games in Frisco have gone on general sale, but the public will not be able to attend matches in Plano.