WRAPUP 1-Olympics-Ice hockey-Canada ease past Swiss, Finland beat Sweden, Slovakia, Czechs notch wins

By Amy Tennery and Trevor Stynes

MILAN, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Canada put on another ice hockey highlight reel on Friday, beating Switzerland 5-1, and Finland bested Nordic rivals Sweden 4-1 to get their Olympic title defence back on track, while Slovakia held off hosts Italy and Czech Republic beat France.

The NHL-laden Canada team, hot favourites in Milan, capped the third day of the men's tournament with a memorable performance that saw the future Hall of Famer Connor McDavid score his first Olympic goal.

McDavid added two assists, making it five so far through Canada's first two games, while Thomas Harley, 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini, captain Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon added goals for Canada.

"We're a deep team no matter how (coach Jon Cooper) puts the lines," said McDavid. "Sometimes it's good to get thrown right into action."

FINLAND PRISTINE AGAINST RIVALS

Gold medallists in 2022, Finland suffered a confidence-rattling defeat by underdogs Slovakia in their group stage opener but were superb in a physical meeting between Europe's two best teams earlier on Friday.

Ottawa Senators defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo and Florida Panthers centre Anton Lundell scored in the first period, as NHL players returned to the Games after a 12-year absence.

Joel Armia added another score in the second, while Mikko Rantanen had an empty netter in the third for Finland.

Sweden is set to play Slovakia while Finland play Italy in the final Group B games on Saturday.

Matinpalo's slapshot rattled off the post into the net midway through the first period and forward Lundell tipped the puck out of the air and into the Sweden net with less than five minutes to go before the intermission.

Swedish defenceman Rasmus Dahlin trimmed the lead when he sent in a power play goal from the blue line early in the second period. But with Sweden on another power play with a golden opportunity to even the game about eight minutes later, Finland produced a short-handed goal as Erik Haula - smothered by three Swedes against the boards - got the puck out to an open Armia, who flicked it into the net.

Fans have come to expect fireworks every time the two sides meet and they got just that at Santagiulia Arena with a skirmish before the second intermission that put three players from each team in the penalty box to start the third period.

SLOVAKIA STAY PERFECT

Across town, Libor Hudacek got the scoring started on the power play in the second period for Slovakia, whose fans overwhelmed the hosts at Milano Rho arena for the 3-2 win over Italy.

Matus Sukel netted a rebound goal to double the lead 10 minutes later.

Slovakian fans began to chant for 'este jeden', meaning 'one more', but it was Italy who scored next on a power play.

Phil Pietroniro's shot from out wide bounced back off the crossbar and Matt Bradley was there to pounce on the loose puck. Italy conceded a third goal in the final period seconds after killing a penalty with Slovak Adam Ruzicka scoring.

Italy refused to lie down, pulling their goalie with over five minutes left and were rewarded when Dustin Gazley scored, but Slovakia withstood the late Italian pressure.

CZECH REPUBLIC POWER PAST FRANCE

France came up short against Czech Republic 6-3 despite a surprise mid-game fightback in the first of two Group A games in the men's evening programme.

Martin Necas and Michal Kempny scored in the first period, Boston Bruins alternate captain David Pastrnak and Matej Stransky found the net in the second, while Filip Chlapik and Roman Cervenka scored in quick succession in the third.

Czech Republic were up 2-0 going into the second period, when France scored three unanswered goals in six minutes to inject some life into the affair.

But the French party ended when Pastrnak skated around the back of the goal and sneaked the puck in to make it 3-3, and Stransky sent in a shorthanded goal during an ill-timed French line change.

The Czech team, who are 1-1 in group-stage play, next face Switzerland, while the winless French play Canada in the final Group A games on Sunday.