18-0, Canada: Patriotic rout opens women's hockey

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Canada has opened the women's hockey tournament with the biggest blowout in Olympic history, beating Slovakia 18-0 in front of a flag-waving sellout crowd.

Mercilessly attacking tall game, the hosts turned Slovakia's Olympic debut into a celebration of Canada's wildly superior skill Saturday night in a sport still derided for its lack of parity.

The two-time gold medalists got a taste of their formidable home-ice advantage when they skated onto the Canada Hockey Place ice to a stirring ovation. Just 99 seconds later, Haley Irwin scored the Canadians' first goal.

Meghan Agosta and Jayna Hefford scored three goals apiece. Hefford completed her hat trick on the goal surpassing Canada's 16-0 win over Italy in Turin.