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April 2, 1997

NO MERCY FOR RUSSIAN PREY

By STEVE BUFFERY
Toronto Sun KITCHENER --  The Canada-Russia game last night at the
women's world hockey championship was like watching a boa constrictor
squeeze the life out of a rat.
  After the initial kill, it was sort of gross.
  CANADA 9, RUSSIA 1
  RUSSIAN GOALIE STELLAR IN MAKING 47 SAVES.
  For the second straight night, the host team hammered its opponents
into the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium ice. In front of an
enthusiastic but slightly sadistic crowd of 6,003 which went nuts for
every Canadian goal, the three-time world champions defeated an
over-matched Russian squad, 9-1.
  Monday, Canada defeated Switzerland 6-0.
  Unlike the men's game, it will be a long time before a rivalry
between Canada and Russia is established in women's hockey. In fact,
it may never happen as there have been reports that the Russian hockey
federation will drop the women's program unless the team finishes
fifth or better in this event and qualifies for next winter's Nagano
Olympics.
  After last night's loss and a defeat against China on Monday, that
could happen.
  Canada dominated every aspect of the game yesterday and, just like
the match against the Swiss, did not give up a shot on net in the
first period. Russian goaltender Irina Gashennikova should receive the
Order of Lenin (if they still give that out in the former Soviet
Union) for her efforts, facing 56 shots without complaint. Canadian
goalie Lesley Reddon of Fredericton turned aside six shots, most of
them from the stick of Russia's version of the Big E, 5-foot-11,
190-pound Ekaterina Pashkevich, who plays club hockey in the Boston
area.
  For the second straight game, all the Canadian goals were scored by
different players.
  Canada jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first period on goals by Jayna
Hefford of Kingston, Vicki Sunohara of Scarboro and Luce Letendre of
Brossard, Que. Two other Canadian goals were rightly disallowed by the
referee.
  The Canucks moved ahead by six in the second on goals by Stacy
Wilson of Moncton, Laura Schuler of Scarboro, who scored a
short-handed marker, and Calgary's Hayley Wickenheiser.
  The floodgates opened in third with goals by Karen Nystrom, another
Scarboro girl, Danielle Goyette of St. Nazaire, Que., and 38-year-old
veteran France St. Louis of St. Hubert, Que. With the score 9-0, Team
Russia received a power-play goal from defenceman Maria Misropian.
  Canada's final round-robin game will be played tomorrow night at the
Aud against the undefeated Chinese squad, which hammered Switzerland
11-3 yesterday.
  In a surprise result last night, the heavily favored U.S. team
managed only a 3-3 tie against Finland, the squad most likely to win
the bronze at this tournament.

TORONTO SUN 

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