Greg Westlake struck after just two minutes of the match to set the tone of the contest at the MacLauchlan Arena, with Canada seeking to record their 10th consecutive win over Norway at the tournament.

Norway’s hopes of ending that sequence were dealt a blow when Ben Delaney doubled the host nation’s advantage, giving them a 2-0 cushion at the end of the first period.

Victory was assured for Canada when Brian Sholomicki gave them a 3-0 lead in the second period, while neither side were able to find the net in the third.

Canada’s margin of victory could have been far greater, but Norway’s Kjell Christian Hamar made 18 saves during the contest.

The defending champions also began with a comfortable victory, as the United States saw off the challenge of South Korea.

Declan Farmer would find the net during two powerplays in the first period, one when his team had a man advantage, with the second coming when his side were a player down.

South Korea - added to the World Sledge Hockey Challenge for the first time in 2013 as they bid for experience before Pyeongchang 2018 - proved unable to find an answer in the second period.

Nikko Landeros and Adam Page extended the American advantage to 4-0, before a goalless final period to the match ensured Steve Cash would end the tie without conceding.

The four-team tournament sees each nation play three matches in the group stage, with the top two then progressing to compete in the final.

The United States will look to build on their strong start tomorrow when they face Norway, while Canada will take on South Korea.