CHINA AT THE OLYMPICS: Ice hockey: US win dampens Chinese New Year

Vancouver(AFP) - A rampant United States hammered China 12-1 Sunday to make it a miserable start to the Year of the Tiger for the Asian team as the world champions made a powerful statement of intent in their bid to regain Olympic gold. Jenny Potter scored a hat-trick as the US threatened early on to break the Games record set by fierce rivals and two-time defending champions Canada, who annihilated Slovakia 18-0 on Saturday. The Americans pounded the Chinese goal at the UBC Thunderbird Arena from the outset but after a burst of five goals in the opening period of the Group B clash the rate of scoring slowed as China tightened their defence. China, who came into the match with an 0-8 losing record against the United States in World Championships and Olympic Games, could not retain possession of the puck in the face of unrelenting pressure in the first period, trailing 0-5 at the break. They were 0-8 down after the second period. China's consolation goal came through Jin Fengling. The Canadians lead the Americans 12-7 in world and Olympic play since the women's game joined the Olympic line-up in 1998 at Nagano, where the US squad beat Canada for gold.

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