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MONCTON, New Brunswick — Minnesota freshman Jimmy Snuggerud scored twice and the United States rebounded from a loss to beat Switzerland 5-1 on Thursday in the world junior hockey championship.

Logan Cooley had a goal and an assist, captain Luke Hughes and Tyler Boucher also scored and Trey Augustine made 18 saves. Coming off a 6-3 loss to Slovakia on Wednesday, the Americans improved to 2-1 in Group B.

“I really liked the way we bounced back tonight,” said U.S. coach Rand Pecknold of Quinnipiac. “We did a good job on the forecheck and generated a lot of zone time.”

In the first game of the day at Avenir Centre, Finland beat Latvia 3-0 to keep the Group B lead with two victories and an overtime loss. In Group A in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Sweden beat the Czech Republic 3-2 in overtime to remain first, and Canada routed Austria 11-0 in the night game.

Cooley set up Minnesota teammate Snuggerud for the opening goal with a quick back pass.

“It’s pretty special,” said Snuggerud of the pass from his University of Minnesota teammate. “He’s given me a lot of those in my career. But I’m pretty fortunate to have him on my line. It was a cool play.”

Captain Attilio Biasca scored for Switzerland.

The United States will finish group play Saturday against Finland.

“They’re a heck of a team, we’re a heck of a team,” Cooley said. “It’s going to be a good battle.”

Jani Lampinen made 31 saves for Finland against Latvia. Jani Nyman had a goal and an assist, and Niko Huuhtanen and Konsta Kapanen also scored.

“I think we played great,” Lampinen said. “They didn’t get to come to the middle and score there. We just boxed them out to the sides and let them shoot from there. So that makes my game a little bit easier. And great backchecking, too.”

In Halifax, Ludvig Jansson scored his second goal of the game at 1:35 of overtime to lift Sweden past the Czech Republic.

Fabian Wagner also scored for Sweden and Carl Lindbom stopped 33 shots after opening with two shutout victories. Sweden will play Canada on Saturday in group finale.

“We just wanted to keep it simple and work hard between the blue lines because they’re dangerous on turnovers,” Swedish defenseman Adam Engstrom said. “We wanted to get in on the forecheck, keep our structure in the defensive zone and we knew it would be fine.”

David Jiricek and Jiri Tichacek scored for the Czechs and Tomas Suchanek stopped 21 shots. They opened with victories over Canada and Austria.

In Canada’s blowout victory, Connor Bedard had two goals and four assists. The 17-year-old forward tied Jordan Eberle for the Canadian record with his 14th goal in the event.

“I’m another player on the team,” said Bedard, the Regina Pats star expected to the first pick in the NHL draft. “We’ve got so many guys that are special players. I’m just here as one of the guys.

“And obviously trying to contribute.”

Logan Stankoven added a goal and three assists, and Benjamin Gaudreau made 12 saves.

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Flames’ Zary gets 2 games for elbowing Pettersson

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Flames' Zary gets 2 games for elbowing Pettersson

NEW YORK — Calgary forward Connor Zary was suspended two games without pay Thursday for elbowing Vancouver defenseman Elias Pettersson during the Canucks’ 4-3 shootout victory over the Flames.

Zary, 23, was assessed a minor penalty for interference on the play at 11:19 of the first period Wednesday night. The suspension will cost him $8,993 in salary.

After Pettersson knocked Calgary center Nazem Kadri off his skates just as Kadri unloaded the puck and crossed the blue line, Zary retaliated with a blindside hit that led to the penalty.

Pettersson had the tying goal with 6:44 remaining in regulation and scored in the first round of the shootout. Conor Garland added the winner in the fourth round of the shootout.

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Devils’ Hamilton out for regular season, GM says

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Devils' Hamilton out for regular season, GM says

New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton will miss the remainder of the regular season and “possibly” the playoffs due to a lower-body injury, general manager Tom Fitzgerald said.

When pressed if Hamilton could return if the Devils reach the second round of the postseason, Fitzgerald wasn’t too optimistic on Wednesday.

“We’re not planning on it, how’s that?” Fitzgerald said during an appearance on the “Krackin’ Canuckleheads” podcast.

Hamilton has been sidelined since he was tangled up with Stars forward Mason Marchment in the first period of a 4-3 loss to Dallas on March 4.

Hamilton, 31, has 40 points (nine goals, 31 assists) in 63 games this season. He is competing in the fourth campaign of his seven-year, $63 million contract.

Hamilton has totaled 501 points (151 goals, 350 assists) in 834 career games with the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes and Devils.

Hamilton was selected by the Bruins with the ninth overall pick of the 2011 NHL draft.

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Devers: Willing to do whatever Red Sox want

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Devers: Willing to do whatever Red Sox want

Rafael Devers told reporters Thursday that he’s “good to do whatever” the Boston Red Sox want him to do, an indication that he’s willing to move away from third base and serve as the team’s designated hitter this season.

A switch of roles didn’t seem likely last month, when Devers balked at the idea at moving to DH in the wake of Boston signing Alex Bregman.

“Third base is my position,” Devers said then.

But the three-time All-Star said Thursday that he spoke with manager Alex Cora and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow a few weeks ago and told them “I’m good to do whatever they want me to do.

“I’m here to help,” he said through his interpreter, according to The Athletic. “I’ve already spoken with them about that and they know where I stand, but I’m just ready to play.

“I’m not going to share what we talked about here just because it would make me come off … those are private conversations. So I told them everything of my point of view, how I see things, and they know that.”

Devers has yet to appear in an official spring training game for Boston. It was supposed to happen Tuesday but got pushed back to this weekend. He battled soreness in both of his shoulders last season and spent the first couple of weeks of spring training trying to strengthen them ahead of the regular season.

He did play in an intrasquad game Thursday in Fort Myers, Florida, before he spoke with the media, and had a home run off new Red Sox starter Walker Buehler.

Asked if he expects to be ready for Opening Day against the Rangers on March 27 in Texas, Devers said: “I expect to be there.”

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