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Russia, Germany Win 1st Games in World Ice Hockey Championships - 2002-04-29

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Russia and Germany have each won their first two games in the first-round of the World Ice Hockey Championships in Sweden.

Russia, which won the bronze medal at the Salt Lake City Olympics earlier this year, defeated Austria 6-3 in Group-C on Sunday. The Russians scored five unanswered goals to take command of the game at Goteborg's Scandinavium Arena. Austria is now 0-2, after losing its first game 5-3 to Sweden.

In a Group-A match in Jonkoping, Germany took advantage of two powerplay goals on the way to a 3-0 shutout of Switzerland. Daniel Kreutzer opened the scoring at 9:30 of the first period and Stefan Usdorf added another power play tally less than one minute into the second period. Jurgen Rumrich completed the scoring just 26 seconds into the last period. Switzerland is also winless in the tournament.

In later games, three-time defending champion Czech Republic surprisingly trailed 1-0 against Japan before struggling to a 5-3 win. Jaromir Jagr, the National Hockey League's leading scorer four of the last five seasons, notched his first two goals in the tournament and picked up an assist. The win keeps the Czech Republic undefeated in the tournament.

Host Sweden also has not lost a game, beating Slovenia, 8-2. Slovenia held the Swedes to a 1-1 tie after the first period in Goteborg before Sweden overpowered Slovenia for the rest of the game.

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