The tournament sees 16 of the best hockey-playing nations battling it out on the ice for the chance to claim the top international prize of the year.

The competition begins with a group stage wherein two groups of eight nations play a single round-robin. The top four teams from each group then progress to the quarter-finals.

See the day's results below.

Group A

Sweden 1 Germany 0

In the second match of the day in Tampere, it took a Sweden power-play goal early in the third period to break to deadlock against Germany and that's how the scoreline stayed.

Oscar Lindberg was the sole scorer, setting the Swedes off to a good start in a tournament in which they are always one of the contenders for the title.

Finland 1 USA 4

In the Group A opener in Tampere, the USA were too good for joint hosts Finland. The Fins got off to a strong start with Teemu Hartikainen scoring in the first period but after the first break, the US turned things around.

First, Cutter Gauthier levelled the scores in the second period before Drew O'Connor added a second in the third. Alex Tuch scored twice before the end to seal the win and a great start to the tournament for the US.

Group B 

Latvia 0 Canada 6

Canada took no mercy on co-hosts Latvia scoring two goals in each period to run out 6-0 winners in the teams' opening match in Riga.

Lawson Crouse, Scott Laughton, Mackenzie Weegar, Samuel Blais, Joe Veleno and Jack McBain all scored for Canada.

Slovakia 2 Czech Republic 3

Earlier, the Czechs and Slovaks traded blows in the first period of their Group B opener in Riga with the Czechs coming out on top in the end.

Five first-period goals were shared between the two teams with Martin Chromiak and Mislav Rosandic scoring either side of Roman Cervenka as Slovakia initially went 2-1 up. 

However, the Czech Republic pulled things back through a double from Lukas Sedlak before the break and they held on from there.

Follow all the action from the World Championships on Flashscore.