Canadian women dominate world championship opener

China got on the scoreboard, but little else changed from last year in a 13-1 rout by Canada at the women's world hockey championships in Finland on Saturday afternoon.

Sarah Vaillancourt and captain Hayley Wickenheiser each scored two goals and three assists in the opener for both teams at the tournament. Canada won 11-0 when the teams met at last year's worlds in Harbin, China.

"In the men's game there's the tendency to think there's more competition, but in the world juniors there's some lopsided scores and some games that you flip the channel because it's not so fun to watch," Wickenheiser said. "That happens on both sides."

Gillian Apps and Rebecca Johnston each scored twice while adding an assist, with Carla MacLeod, Caroline Ouellette, Marie-Philip Poulin, Meghan Agosta and Haley Irwin also finding the mark.

Canada outshot the Chinese 76-4. Goalie Charline Labonte may take some ribbing from her teammates after giving up a goal on the first shot she faced.

The Canadian team is looking to regain the world title after losing for just the second time in 11 years in China in 2008, falling to the United States in the gold-medal game.

Canada will face Sweden on Monday. The Swedes beat Canada for the first time at the Four Nations Cup in November with a 3-2 overtime win.

Scoring early and often

Defenceman MacLeod put Canada up 1-0 just over three minutes into the game. Four minutes later, the team was up by four goals.

Ouellette, Vaillancourt and Poulin scored to make it 4-0, with China getting on the board with Ouellette in the box.

Poulin is the youngest player on the squad, having just turned 18 in late March.

Her goal came on the power play, with Canada going a modest 2-for-5 with the advantage in the contest.

Agosta closed out the opening period with her first goal.

Wickenheiser and Irwin had their second-period goals bookended by Johnston's markers.

Irwin, 20, is a newcomer to the senior squad. She plays at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and has previously competed in international games for Canada's under-22 squad.

She also notched three assists in the game.

Head coach Melody Davidson said the one-sided nature of the game allowed her to reinforce small details the team will need to be successful in the tournament.

"When you're winning, it's the best time to coach because they're in a good mood and they're interested in listening to you," she said. "You can't give them an inch because if they're allowed to freelance and do their own thing, it just hurts you down the road."

Apps scored both of her goals in the third, with Wickenheiser scoring again and Vaillancourt completing her hat trick.

In addition to Irwin and Poulin, defender Catherine Ward made her world championship debut in the game.

Julie Chu and Hilary Knight each had a hat trick as the U.S. routed Japan 8-0. The U.S. outshot their foes 74-8.