VIERUMAKI, Finland -- The Canadian womens hockey team opened the 12 Nations Tournament on Wednesday with a 16-0 win over Switzerland. Kirk Cousins Red Jersey . Veteran Jayna Hefford of Kingston, Ont., led Canada with a hat trick, while Montreals Jesse Scanzano, Haley Irwin of Thunder Bay, Ont., and Tessa Bonhomme of Sudbury, Ont., each added a pair of goals. Montreals Caroline Ouellette, Meghan Agosta of Ruthven, Ont., Gillian Apps of Unionville, Ont., Jennifer Wakefield of Pickering, Ont., Jocelyne Larocque of Ste. Anne, Man., Mallory Deuce of London, Ont., and Bobbi Jo Slusar of Swift Current, Sask., also scored. Goaltender Christina Kessler of Mississauga, Ont., earned the shutout. Half of the Canadian goals were scored in the third period. "We actually played our best period in the third period," Canadian head coach Dan Church said. "We worked really hard too and they played their third goaltender." Church didnt want bad habits to creep into Canadas game once the win was well in hand and he emphasized that during the second intermission. "I definitely delivered a message in between the second and the third that I thought our effort level had dropped off in a couple of key areas that we talked about and to the players credit, they responded to that in the third period, backchecking and battling for pucks," Church said. "Our veteran players led by example and were some of the best players on the ice tonight." Canada took only 10 forwards to Finland, so they are getting a lot of ice time. "Theyre cycling through quite quickly up front, but no one was really labouring at all," Church said. "Thats evidence that theyve put in some hard workout in the summer and weve had a couple of hard workouts here too before we got on the ice." The 12 Nations is a new tournament in the womens hockey schedule. The International Ice Hockey Federation wants to close the large gaps in skill between countries by providing more competitive opportunities. Its hoped federations will put more resources into female hockey and that players will be motivated to improve their skills. 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. Canada meets Russia on Thursday before facing Slovakia on Saturday and world champion U.S. on Sunday. Church said Liz Knox of Stouffville, Ont., will start in net against Russia. John Riggins Gold Jersey . Speaking to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun on Friday, Brodeur said "Ive come to the conclusion that Im definitely going to be available July 1. Pierre Garcon Gold Jersey . As Valanciunas was whistled for a rare technical toward the end of the third quarter - a result of waving his hand at an official after being called for a foul - Lowry pulled the Raptors sophomore aside, corralling him by his jersey and patting him on the back.TORONTO - The Toronto Maple Leafs recalled forward Carter Ashton and goaltender Drew MacIntyre from their American Hockey League affiliate on Tuesday. Ashton, 23, has registered three assists and 19 penalty minutes in 31 games with the Maple Leafs this season. The six-foot-three 215-pound winger has also played 24 games with the Toronto Marlies this season, collecting 23 points (16-7) with 30 penalty minutes. Keenan Robinson Red Jersey. . MacIntyre, 30, has appeared in one game for the Maple Leafs, stopping 14 shots in a relief effort March 23 at New Jersey. The six-foot-one 190-pound goaltender has a record of 27-13-5 with the Marlies this season. MacIntyre has a 2.49 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and one shutout in 46 games played. wholesale jerseys ' ' '
