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PRAGUE — Defending champion Canada had to recover from an early scare before rallying to beat Finland 5-3 for its fifth victory in five games at the ice hockey world championship Saturday.

Captain John Tavares set up the winning goal with his second assist with 8:28 remaining in the final period, finding Brandon Hagel at the left post to score into an open net. It was only the second shot on goal for Canada in the period.

Dawson Mercer finished it off with an empty net goal with 20 seconds left.

Canada joined Switzerland in second place in Group A, a point behind leader the Czech Republic. All three sealed playoff-round spots.

Also for Canada, Owen Power scored a goal and added two assists, Dylan Cozens had a goal and an assist, and Brandon Tanev scored. Jordan Binnington stopped 29 shots.

Jesse Puljujarvi led Finland with two goals, and Valtteri Puustinen got the other.

Canada was two goals down early in the first after Finland scored in a span of 2:16. Puljujarvi scored off a rebound 1:35 in, and Puustinen doubled the advantage on a power play.

Canada needed 97 seconds to tie it at 2.

Andrew Mangiapane seized the puck behind the goal before passing it to Cozens to net from the slot. Then Tavares seized the puck in his own half before skating down the left and feeding Tanev to knock in the equalizer from the crease.

The Czechs beat winless Britain 4-1, with Lukas Sedlak having two goals and an assist and captain Roman Cervenka recording four assists.

Sweden killed off a five-minute major before scoring three goals in a 26-second span in the middle period to pull away from Latvia in a 7-2 win that clinched a playoff-round berth.

The Swedes, who have not trailed in the tournament, preserved their perfect record through five games to lead Group B.

Latvia pulled even at 2-2 in the second in Ostrava but failed to capitalize after Rasmus Dahlin received a five-minute major and game misconduct for charging. The defenseman opened the scoring for Sweden in the first period.

Fabian Zetterlund then scored twice in a 17-second span. Nine seconds later, center Joel Eriksson Ek netted to make it 5-2. Marcus Johansson had a goal and two assists.

In Prague, Switzerland routed Denmark 8-0. Winger Kevin Fiala scored two goals and had an assist.

Center Nico Hischier opened the scoring and added two assists to leave the Danes in danger of not advancing.

In Group B, Germany beat winless Poland 4-2 for a fourth win while Slovakia also got a fourth victory by beating France 4-2 to move to third place, a point behind Germany in second.

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Red Sox 1B Casas out for year after knee surgery

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Red Sox 1B Casas out for year after knee surgery

BOSTON — Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas suffered a ruptured tendon in his left knee and is out for the remainder of the season, the team said.

The 25-year-old Casas ruptured his patellar tendon running to first on a slow roller up the line and fell awkwardly in Boston’s victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night. After laying on his back in pain — not moving the knee — he was carted off on a stretcher before being taken to a Boston hospital.

The team announced Sunday that he had surgery for a left patellar tendon repair at Massachusetts General Hospital. The surgery was performed by Dr. Eric Berkson.

“I talked to him last night,” chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said in a news conference on Saturday discussing the injury outside Boston’s clubhouse. “We exchanged text messages [Saturday]. We all care deeply about just his overall wellbeing.”

Manager Alex Cora said Casas worked hard during the offseason to play every day after missing a large amount of last year with torn cartilage in his rib cage.

“He did an outstanding job in the offseason to put himself in that situation. It didn’t start the way he wanted it to,” Cora said of Casas’ struggles. “He was going to play and play a lot. Now we’ve got to focus on the rehab after the surgery and hopefully get him back stronger than ever and ready to go next year.”

Casas batted just .182 with three homers and 11 RBIs, but Breslow said his loss will be felt, especially with the team’s lack of depth at the position.

“He certainly struggled through the first month of the season but that didn’t change what we believe his production was capable of being,” Breslow said. “It’s a big loss. In addition to what we think we were going to get on the offensive side, he was kind of like a stabilizing presence on the defensive side of the field — also a big personality and a big part of the clubhouse.”

During spring training, Casas talked about how his focus at the plate this season was being more relaxed.

“You really want it until you don’t,” he said, explaining his thoughts while standing at his locker. “Then you can’t want it that much.”

Now, he’ll have to focus on his recovery plan for next season.

Casas, a left-handed batter, was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with infielder/outfielder Abraham Toro selected from Triple-A Worcester.

Cora said Toro — a switch-hitter — will split time at first along with Romy Gonzalez. who bats right-handed.

Breslow said the team might be exploring a long-term replacement.

“This is unfortunately an opportunity to explore what’s available,” he said. “We’ll look both internally and outside as well.”

Cora said there are no plans to move Rafael Devers, who was replaced at third by offseason free-agent acquisition Alex Bregman and moved to DH.

“We asked him to do something in spring training that in the beginning he didn’t agree with it and now he’s very comfortable doing what he’s doing,” Cora said. “Like I told you guys in spring training, he’s my DH.”

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3B Ramirez (ankle) returns to Guardians’ lineup

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3B Ramirez (ankle) returns to Guardians' lineup

TORONTO — Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez was back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, two days after the third baseman left in the third inning because of a mild right ankle sprain.

The six-time All-Star was injured when he stumbled and fell while crossing first base on an infield single. Ramirez went down after being struck in the back by a throw from Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt.

Ramirez was batting third Sunday against right-hander Bowden Francis.

Ramírez sat out Saturday when Cleveland beat Toronto 5-3. He went 2 for 2 before departing Friday, boosting his average to .274. He has five home runs and 15 RBIs in 31 games.

In last Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Minnesota, Ramirez became the first primary third baseman to reach 250 homers and 250 stolen bases.

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Yankees’ Volpe day-to-day after tests on shoulder

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Yankees' Volpe day-to-day after tests on shoulder

NEW YORK — Shortstop Anthony Volpe was not in the New York Yankees‘ starting lineup Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays, a day after he injured his left shoulder on a dive while trying to get to a grounder.

“X-rays, MRI — good news,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s sore today, but I feel like we’re probably in a good spot. We’ll see. Kind of day to day right now.”

Volpe remained in the game after his unsuccessful attempt for a backhand stab on Christopher Morel‘s eighth-inning single, which sparked a two-run rally in Tampa Bay’s 3-2 win Saturday.

Volpe said after the game he heard a pop in the shoulder.

“It’s a little unclear in there. He’s got some stuff that they feel like is older stuff, so hard to know exactly,” Boone said. “He’s definitely a little cranky in the shoulder today.”

Volpe, 24, is hitting .233 with five homers, 19 RBIs and four stolen bases in his third season with the Yankees.

Oswald Peraza was listed to start at shortstop, batting ninth.

New York already is missing second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (strained right oblique), third baseman DJ LeMahieu (strained left calf), ace Gerrit Cole (Tommy John surgery) and right-hander Luis Gil (right lat strain), the reigning AL Rookie of the Year.

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