Top seeds Canada kept their hopes alive at the IIHF Men's World Championship in Riga with a 4-2 win over Kazakhstan ©Getty Images

Top seeds Canada, who lost their first three matches before beating Norway, kept their qualification hopes at the International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Championship alive with a 4-2 win over Kazakhstan at the Arena Riga.

Andrew Mangiapane put Canada ahead in the first period and captain Adam Henrique doubled the lead in the second period.

Nikita Mikhailis, the son of the Kazakh coach, levelled the score for the side that had won three of its previous matches, albeit two of them in overtime, striking late in the second period and early in the third.

But further third period goals from Canada’s Cole Perfetti and Connor Brown, who scored into an empty net in the final seconds, tied the game up.

Canada, now on six points, are two points and two places adrift of the four qualifying spots in Group B.

They will almost certainly need to win both of their remaining matches, against Italy and defending champions Finland, to progress.

Hosts Latvia later moved above Kazakhstan into the fourth qualifying place for the quarter-finals on June 3 thanks to the point they earned for a dramatic 4-3 defeat by Norway following an overtime shootout.

After Sondre Olden had given Norway the lead, the hosts hit back within the first period with goals from Renars Krastenbergs and Ronalds Kenins.

Norway equalised at the start of the second period through Ken Andre Olimb and took the lead a minute into the third period thanks to Emilio Pettersen.

But with just over ten minutes left Kristians Rubins brought Latvia back level in normal time.

Michael Haga earned his team two points as he scored the decisive shootout goal for Norway, who had previously earned three points for a win in normal time.

Fourth seeds Sweden came from a goal down against a 19th-seeded Britain side still buoyed from its 4-3 win over Belarus to win 4-1 and restore its flagging hopes of a quarter-final place.

Liam Kirk put Britain ahead after seven minutes, but Marcus Sorenson equalised for Sweden before the first period was over and further goals from Jonathan Pudas and Mario Kempe, who scored twice, completed the scoreline in the first of the day’s Group A matches at the Olympic Sports Centre.

But Sweden may still need to win both their remaining matches against Slovakia and the Russian Olympic Committee team, both of whom are above them.

Meanwhile Belarus remain bottom of Group A after losing 5-2 to Denmark.