TORONTO -- Tage Thompson scored the game winner and Joseph Woll made 18 saves as the United States cruised to a 5-2 victory over Slovakia on Wednesday night at the world junior hockey championship.
With the win, the U.S. (2-0-0) moves into a tie with Canada atop the Group B standings with six points apiece. The two nations meet on Saturday to conclude the preliminary round.
Tanner Laczynski, Colin White, Charlie McAvoy and Troy Terry had the other Team USA goals. Woll, a Maple Leafs 2016 third-round pick, made his first career appearance at Toronto's Air Canada Centre on Wednesday.
Winnipeg Jets prospect Jack Roslovic and Dallas Stars draft pick Joseph Cecconi each had two assists in the win.
Martin Fehervary and Michal Roman had the goals for the Slovaks (0-2-0) while Philadelphia Flyers prospect Matej Tomek made 45 saves in the loss.
Laczynski opened the scoring for the Americans, putting his own rebound up and over a sprawling Tomek for his first of the tourney at 10:15 of the first.
White, an Ottawa Senators draft pick, re-directed a Clayton Keller feed to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead with three minutes to play in the first.
Tempers flared with 2:22 to play in the period when Jordan Greenway poked at Tomek's glove after the whistle had blown. With Greenway serving a minor penalty for slashing, Fehervary put home the rebound off of Boris Sadecky's shot to get the Slovaks on the board.
Slovakia, which had just six shots on goal in Tuesday's 5-0 loss to Canada, had 12 shots on goal in the first 20 minutes against the Americans.
Thompson, a St. Louis Blues draft pick, gave the U.S. a 3-1 lead 2:03 into the second, picking up a Roslovic feed and using a nice deke to get around Tomek for his first of the tournament.
McAvoy one-timed a Cecconi pass blocker-side past Tomek for his first of the tournament at 8:39 of the middle period.
Terry picked up a loose puck just inside the Slovakia blue line, cut through the slot and beat Tomek far side for his first of the tournament with 7:03 to play in the second, giving Team USA a four-goal cushion heading into the third.
Roman beat Woll with a blast from the point with 36 seconds remaining in the game for his first of the tournament.
The U.S. is back in action on Thursday afternoon against Russia while the Slovaks will play Latvia on Friday night.
