URL:http://www.canoe.ca/HockeyWomen/apr3_can_chi.html Thursday, April 3, 1997 CANADA 7, CHINA 1 CANADA HANDLES CHINA WITH EASE  KITCHENER, Ont. (CP) -- Canada continues to roll through the world women's hockey championships, but the lack of any meaningful opposition is raising concerns over the event's future.  A 7-1 rout Thursday over China -- a team expected to at least cause the Canadians to work a bit harder than usual -- was Canada's third straight lopsided triumph of this tournament and moved the team into Saturday's semifinals against Finland.  However, the one-sided victory further underscored the disparity between Canada and the rest of the world in a sport trying to gain mass appeal.  Canada has now outscored its opposition 21-2 in three round-robin games. In four world championships dating back to 1990, Canada has never lost a game.  The walkovers are making it difficult for the coaching staff to prepare the players for a close game, if it comes.  "It's tough to evaluate the defensive part of the game, coverage in our zone, breakout patterns, things like that," head coach Shannon Miller said after the win.  In fact, Canada's toughest opponent so far has been itself -- in practice.  "I think the toughest forwards I have to face are the ones on my own team," said Cassie Campbell of Brampton, Ont., who scored two goals Thursday and was named Canada's player of the game.  Lori Dupuis of Williamstown, Ont., also had two goals, while Calgary's Hayley Wickenheiser, Toronto's Geraldine Heaney and Vicky Sunohara of Scarborough, Ont., each scored once.  Guo Wei scored China's lone goal, a short-handed marker in the third period.  Organizers and women's hockey officials can only hope a stirring final Sunday against the United States -- the matchup is a dead lock -- will be more exciting that Canada's previous games.  But even that anticipated match -- the United States meets China in Saturday's other semifinal -- might not be enough.  "It will hurt in the long term if we only have two or three good teams in the world," said Bob Nicholson, the senior vice-president of Canadian Hockey.  Canadian officials face a conundrum. They need to help the rest of the world improve or the game is destined to become boring to a mass audience. But if they do that and the world catches up, then Canada might start struggling in the face of great expectations.  "We have to continue to help the other nations," Nicholson said before Thursday's triumph, played before a near sellout crowd of 5,457 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.  "We want to stay on top but it is our responsibility to help grow the numbers."  One of the problems is trying to give the other countries hope. Right now, only the United States is seen as a serious challenger to Canada. Everyone else is a distant, distant third.  "What they're doing is hot-housing 20 or 30 players and trying to compete right away," Nicholson said of the non-North American teams. "That's good in the short term but to make it long term, they have to develop some kind of club system to develop players."  The sheer numbers suggest a club system is a long way away. There are only 400 registered female hockey players in all of Russia, 1,900 in Finland, 400 in Norway and 1,200 in Sweden.  Another method for improving competition might be to have some sort of 'B' pool that allows new hockey-playing countries to get their feet wet in international competition without being discouraged by seeing Canada run roughshod over its budding players.  "You have to have equal competition," agreed Nicholson. "If your average score is 25-1, people are not going to be interested in your sport."  The score might not have been 25-1 Thursday but the margin of play wasn't far from it -- Canada allowed only three shots on goal in the first period and jumped to a 5-0 lead.  However, Miller said the Chinese did provide a challenge.  "I appreciate the fact they came out in the first period and pressured us and forechecked us and didn't just ice the puck.  "We ... had to play a smarter game." SUMMARY  First Period  1. Canada, Campbell (Wilson) 8:34 sh  2. Canada, Dupuis (Wickenheiser) 9:30  3. Canada, Wickenheiser (James, Dupuis) 12:29  4. Canada, Sunohara (Schuler, Smith) 13:36 pp  5. Canada, Campbell (Wickenheiser, Dupuis) 14:56  Penalties: Lu Chn (body checking) 1:04, Dupuis Can (interference) 4:49, Letendre Can (hooking) 7:13, Diao Chn (body checking) 10:34, Lu Chn (tripping) 14:03  Second Period  6. Canada, Heaney (Campbell, St-Louis) 3:20 pp  Penalties -- Yang Chn (body checking) 2:22, Chen Chn (elbowing) 8:41, Diduck Can (body checking) 12:35, Smith Can (interference) 19:52.  Third Period  7. China, Guo Wei (Lu) 4:48 (sh)  8. Canada, Dupuis (Diduck) 16:55  Penalties -- Zhang Chn (holding) 3:21, James Can (body checking) 5:08, Wilson Can (hooking) 7:55, Wickenheiser Can (body checking) 10:35, Schuler Can (cross-checking), Xu Chn (slashing) 12:56.  Shots on goal by  Canada 19 18 5--42  China 3 4 5--12  Goal (shots-saves) -- China: Guo Hong (9-7), Huo (9:30 first, 10-7), Guo Hong (0:00 second, 23-20); Canada: Dube. Power plays (goals-chances) -- China: 0-6; Canada: 1-5. Attendance: 5,457. [2]SLAM! _________________________________________________________________ CANOE home | We welcome your [8]feedback. Copyright © 1997, Canoe Limited Partnership. All rights reserved.