ALMATY, Kazakhstan (U SPORTS) – The Canadian women’s hockey team secured first place in Group A at the 28^th Winter Universiade thanks to an 11-0 victory over host Kazakhstan, Wednesday evening.

Team Canada website: http://en.usports.ca/universiade/winter/2017/

Almaty 2017 website: https://almaty2017.com

Live streaming: www.livefisu.tv/  

Results, Statistics & Standings: http://www.fisu.net/results/winter-universiade/winter-universiade-2017-main-results

Team Canada (3-0) will now enjoy a well-deserved two-day break before getting back on the ice on Saturday for a semifinal matchup against Russia, the United States or Japan.

In their first three outings at the biennial tournament, the U SPORTS all-stars have outscored their opponents 34-1 and have outshot the opposition 204-21.

Despite the lopsided score against the Kazakhs, the Canadians got to enjoy a unique experience as a capacity crowd of over 5,000 was on hand at Baluan Sholak Arena to cheer on the local favourites.

“Playing the host team, the atmosphere was amazing. The crowd was really behind them,” said University of Alberta forward Alex Poznikoff of Edmonton. “It didn’t feel like an 11-0 game. They were really intense and physical the whole way. We got a few at the end to make the score what it was.”

“The atmosphere was great,” added assistant coach Kelly Paton from Western University. “We wanted to play a full 60 minutes to be ready for the medal round. We want to keep building and get better every day. Our last two periods were more where we want to be.”

The Canucks, who held a 72-16 advantage in shots on net, led 3-0 after the opening period and 6-0 after 40 minutes before exploding for five goals in the third, including four in the final eight minutes.

Alexandra Labelle of Salaberry-de Valleyfield, Que., led the way with a hat-trick and one assist while University of Montreal teammate Catherine Dubois of Charlesbourg, Que., also racked up four points, including a goal and three helpers.

Also contributing offensively with three points apiece were team captain Katelyn Gosling (1-2-3), forward Kelty Apperson (2-1-3), as well as rearguards Brianna Iazzolino (1-2-3) and Katherine Bailey (0-3-3).

Stephanie Sluys of Clinton, Ont., made 16 saves to register her second shutout in as many games. The University of Waterloo netminder hadn’t faced a single shot on Monday in a 14-0 domination of Great Britain.

At the other end of the ice, Kazakh goalie Darya Dmitriyeva did her best to limit the damage, going the distance and turning aside 61 pucks in a losing cause.

NOTE: Canada won the first three FISU Games women’s hockey tournaments (2009, 2011, 2013) before settling for silver two years ago in Spain... The Canadians are now 26-2 all-time at the tourney, with both losses coming against Russia in 2015, including a 3-0 defeat in the gold-medal final.

TEAM CANADA SCHEDULE & RESULTS (all times local / 11 hours ahead of ET)

Group standings: STANDINGS

Saturday, Jan. 28 (16:30): Canada 9, China 1

Monday, Jan. 30 (16:30): Canada 14, Great Britain 0

Wednesday, Feb. 1 (20:00): Canada 11, Kazakhstan 0

Saturday, Feb. 4 (TBD): Semi-finals

Monday, Feb. 6 (16:30): Bronze  

Monday, Feb. 6 (20:00): Final

SCORING SUMMARY (official boxscore: CLICK HERE)

Canada 11, Kazakhstan 0

FIRST PERIOD

SCORING:

1. CAN Jaycee Magwood (3) (Katherine Bailey, Alanna Sharman), 11:11 PP

2. CAN Brianna Iazzolino (2) (Catherine Dubois), 14:17

3. CAN Catherine Dubois (1) (Brianna Iazzolino, Kelty Apperson), 17:39

PENALTIES:

Jessica Cormier (CAN) tripping, 3:00

Tatyana Likhaus (KAZ) hooking, 10:06

Azhar Khamimuldinova (KAZ) high sticking, 19:47

SECOND PERIOD

SCORING:

4. CAN Daley Oddy (2) (Brianna Iazzolino, Jessica Cormier), 10:48

5. CAN Kelty Apperson (1) (Kylie Gavelin), 15:20

6. CAN Alexandra Labelle (4) (Daley Oddy), 18:33

PENALTIES:

Madina Tursynova (KAZ) hooking, 2:40

Tatyana Likhaus (KAZ) illegal hit, 4:55

Aida Olzhabayeva (KAZ) slashing, 5:40

THIRD PERIOD

SCORING:

7. CAN Alexandra Labelle (5) (Katherine Bailey, Kelly Murray)

8. CAN Katelyn Gosling (1) (Alexandra Labelle, Katherine Bailey)

9. CAN Alexandra Labelle (6) (Katelyn Gosling, Kelly Murray)

10. CAN Kelty Apperson (2) (Catherine Dubois, Maude Laramée)

11. CAN Jaycee Magwood (4) (Catherine Dubois, Katelyn Gosling)

PENALTIES:

Alexis Larson (CAN) hooking, 17:48

GOALS (by period)

CAN: 3-3-5: 11

KAZ: 0-0-0: 0

SHOTS ON GOAL (by period)

CAN: 27-24-21: 72

KAZ: 8-3-5: 16

POWER PLAY:

CAN: 1-5

KAZ: 0-2

GOALTENDERS

CAN – Stephanie Sluys (W, 2-0, 16 shots, 16 saves, 60:00)

KAZ – Darya Dmitriyeva (L, 1-2, 72 shots, 61 saves, 60:00)

REFEREES: Maria Raabye Fuchsel (DEN), Olga Steinberg (RUS)

LINESMEN: Yue Fu (CHN), Julia Johansson (SWE)

ATTENDANCE: -

START: 20:00

END: 22:13

LENGTH: 2:13

About the Winter Universiade 

The Winter Universiade is a biennial international multi-sport event open to competitors who are at least 17 and less than 28 years of age as of January 1 in the year of the Games. Participants must be full-time students at a post-secondary institution (university, college, CEGEP) or have graduated from a post-secondary institution in the year preceding the event. 

The Almaty Universiade will feature eight compulsory sports and four optional sports. Compulsory sports: alpine skiing, biathlon, ice hockey, curling, cross country skiing, short track speed skating, figure skating and snowboarding. Optional sports: ski jumping, nordic combined, freestyle skiing and long-track speed skating.

About U SPORTS 

U SPORTS is the national brand for University Sports in Canada. Every year, over 12,000 student-athletes and 500 coaches from 56 universities vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. U SPORTS also provides higher performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit usports.ca or follow us on:

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