Jonathan Bernier made Team Canada coach Craig Hartsburg look like a genius Wednesday afternoon.

The Lewiston Maineiacs’ goalie, one of two picked to represent Canada at the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic this holiday season, earned his coach’s confidence during exhibition play last week. Hartsburg gave the 19-year-old keeper the nod on Christmas Day, and on Boxing Day, he delivered.

Bernier made 44 saves and John Tavares of the Oshawa Generals scored a pair of goals to lead Canada to a tournament-opening 3-0 win over the host Czech Republic on Wednesday.

“The important thing was to come out strong and have a good game, control my rebounds,” Bernier told the Canadian Press. “I came out with a shutout, so it’s a plus, but we wanted the three points, and that’s what we did.”

Bernier may have been modest, but Tavares and fellow 17-year-old Steve Stamkos of the Sarnia Sting were quick to praise their teammate.

“So many guys did so many things: The penalty kill was amazing tonight, and Bernier was on his head,” Tavares said.

“I thought we battled hard, and Bernier played unbelievable in the first,” Stamkos, who had three assists, added. “Once we got playing Canadian style of hockey, we played really well, and they couldn’t keep up with us.”

On the other end of the ice, Windsor Spitfires’ goaltender Michal Neuvirth was equal to the task early on. Neuvirth may be familiar to Maineiacs fans, as he last season led the Plymouth Whalers to the Memorial Cup in Vancouver, where he beat Jonathan Bernier and the Maineiacs twice.

In all, 10 members of the Czech team play in the Canadian Hockey League, including Halifax sniper Jakub Voracek. Voracek had a chance against Bernier early in the first, and came up short on a wrap-around attempt.

Despite Bernier’s stellar performance, Hartsburg said later Wednesday he did not know who would start this morning’s game against Slovakia, Bernier or the London Knights’ Steve Mason.

In other action Wednesday, Kyle Okposo, the former Minnesota player set to sign with the New York Islanders, had a goal and an assist to help the United States open the tournament with a 5-1 victory over Kazakhstan.

Okposo, selected seventh overall in the NHL 2006 draft, left the Golden Gophers last week, and has begun negotiations with the Islanders on an entry-level contract.

Denver’s Tyler Ruegsegger and New Hampshire’s James vanRiemsdyk also each had a goal and assist, and Boston University’s Colin Wilson and Minnesota’s Mike Carman added goals. Jeremy Smith, who plays for Plymouth in the Ontario Hockey League, made 17 saves, allowing only Alexander Kurshuk’s game-opening goal.

In the other Group B game, Russia beat Finland 7-4. In Group A play, Sweden beat Slovakia, 4-3 to go with Canada’s 3-0 win.