2011-12 National Women's Team

MEGHAN AGOSTA SCORES THREE TIMES AS CANADA THUMPS RUSSIA 14-1 IN WOMEN'S HOCKEY

VIERUMÄKI, Finland – Meghan Agosta had a hat trick and added two assists Thursday as Canada's women's hockey team thumped Russia 14-1 at the 12 Nations Tournament.

Jayna Hefford, Vicki Bendus and Haley Irwin added two goals each, while Gillian Apps, Jennifer Wakefield, Bobbi-Jo Slusar, Emmanuelle Blais and Courtney Birchard also scored for Canada (2-0).

Liz Knox made 12 saves to pick up the win.

Svetlana Tkacheva had the only goal for Russia (0-2). Margarita Monakhova and Anna Prugova combined to make 19 saves in defeat.

Canada scored five times in the first period, five times in the second and added four more in the third.

Canada head coach Dan Church said he's more concerned about how his team plays at this point of the tournament with tougher competition on the horizon.

“We focus on small goals, period by period that we're looking to accomplish and usually it's not related to the score but how we want to play and the effort that we're putting forth,” Church said.

Canada downed Switzerland 16-0 on Tuesday, and will take on Slovakia on Saturday before meeting the world champion U.S. on Sunday.

The 12 Nations is a new tournament on the women's hockey schedule. The International Ice Hockey Federation wants to close the large gaps in skill between countries by providing more competitive opportunities. It's hoped federations will put more resources into female hockey and that players will be motivated to improve their skills.

Church said it's difficult at times to keep the Canadian players focused when the scores are lopsided.

But he added the tournament benefits both women's hockey powers, and the sport's emerging nations.

“It's really about forming good habits that are going to help us play against the top competition,” Church said. “The purpose of the 12 Nations Tournament is to help those teams that don't get opportunities to play Canada and the U.S. and the top four teams. Playing our best hockey helps them to improve and learn the level it takes to be competitive.”

The Canadians aren't likely to be tested against the Slovaks, but with the Americans up next, Church wants to see his players keep up the pressure.

“With Slovakia we have to look to maintain our level of attention to detail because we're playing three of the teams that are in the lower half of the bracket and then we have to play the U.S. right after,” Church said. “For us it's about maintaining winning habits and to prepare ourselves for that game against the U.S.”

Eight countries – Canada, the U.S., Finland, Sweden, Russia, Switzerland, Slovakia and Japan – are facing each other in Finland, while France, Germany, Norway and the Czech Republic are playing in a mini-tournament simultaneously in Courcheval, France.

Penalties:
08:25 RUS 24 Valeriya Pavlova (Holding)
14:38 RUS 2 Angelina Goncharenko (Hooking)
20:00 RUS 23 Tatiana Burina (Boarding)

Penalties:
07:12 RUS 34 Svetlana Tkacheva (Slashing)
09:37 CAN 23 Bobbi Jo Slusar (Roughing)
11:26 RUS 8 Iya Gavrilova (Holding)
15:11 RUS 22 Zoya Polunina (Hooking)
16:51 RUS 18 Mariya Belova (Holding Opp. Stick)
18:26 CAN 24 Emmanuelle Blais (Hooking)

Penalties:
00:19 RUS 27 Inna Dyubanok (Holding)
03:52 RUS 23 Tatiana Burina (Cross Checking)
08:08 CAN 10 Gillian Apps (Charging)
14:44 RUS 10 Ljudmila Belyakova (Hooking)
17:35 RUS 10 Ljudmila Belyakova (Tripping)