May 3, 2002
Karlstad, Sweden

Canada remains undefeated at the world hockey championships with a 3-2 win over Switzerland. Dany Heatley, Eric Brewer and Andy McDonald scored third-period goals defeating the Swiss and setting up a clash of the titans against the three-time defending champion Czech Republic.

For the third time in 10 years that Canada has started 5-0-0, the others being 1999 and 1994. The Canadians close out the qualifying round against the Czechs in Jonkoping on Sunday.

Swiss forward Ivo Ruthemann scored with 1:55 left in the third to make it interesting but Canada held on.

Canada headed into the third period down 1-0 to a Swiss team who had been shut out three times in this tournament. Canadian head coach Wayne Fleming shook up his lines to start the third and it paid dividends just over two minutes in when Heatley slammed a rebound into an empty net after Weibel stopped a deflection in front by Justin Williams.

Williams was taken off the Ryan Smyth/Mike Comrie line and put with Heatley and Kyle Calder, who was playing in his first game after joining the team from the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

Brewer's goal came during a Canadian power play at 8:04 of the final period, his wrist shot from the point beating a screened Lars Weibel over his right shoulder. Brewer, the Edmonton Oilers rising star, had yet another brilliant game on Canada's blue-line.

McDonald gave Canada a two-goal cushion at 11:26 of the third when he took a nifty pass from Jamie Wright, cut in alone on Weibel and slid a shot under the sprawled goalie, who was making his first international start.

Ray Whitney had two assists for Canada, who had possession of the puck for most of the first two periods but weren't able to put the finishing touches around the Swiss goal. Still, it was yet another slow start by the Canadians, a tendency that won't do them any favours in the medal round.

J.J. Aeschlimann slipped a backhand shot between J.S. Giguere's legs on a power play with six minutes to go in the second period, giving the Swiss a surprising 1-0 lead after being outplayed and outshot the entire game.

Team Canada announced during Friday's game that veteran defenceman Darryl Sydor of the Dallas Stars will re-join the team in Sweden on Saturday after leaving before the tournament for family reasons. Sydor, who will be a boost to Canada's power play, won't be eligible to play until Tuesday's quarter-final game. Also, former national team goalie Jamie Ram was officially added to the roster as the No. 3 man. There will be no more additions to the roster.

Game Summary