BURLINGTON, Vt. – The U.S. scored five first period goals en route to a 9-2 victory over Canada here tonight at the Gutterson Fieldhouse in both team's opening preliminary-round game of the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship.

"I'm certainly very happy with the way we came out tonight," said Katey Stone, head coach for the U.S. Women's National Team. "Our team was excited to get out of the gate and start the tournament. We contribute a lot to the atmosphere of the crowd."

Jocelyne Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) tallied the first of five opening period goals 37 seconds into the contest. Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Id.) connected on a rebound at 1:24 of the first period, Monique Lamoureux-Kolls (Grand Forks, N.D.) notched a power-play tally at 3:32, Julie Chu (Fairfield, Conn.) scored a power-play goal from a sharp angle at 4:52 and Lamoureux-Kolls found the back of the net for her second goal of the night at 5:32 to give the U.S. a five-goal lead heading into the first intermission.

Canada's Natalie Spooner put the Canadians on the board 39 seconds into the second period before the U.S. responded with Lamoureux's second goal of the night on a rebound from Megan Bozek (Buffalo Grove, Ill.). Jayna Hefford scored for Canada at 17:03 of the second period.

Josephine Pucci (Pearl River, N.Y.) scored at 5:29 off a pass from Lamoureux-Kolls to score the first of three third period goals. Knight found the back of the net for the second time with help from Jenny Potter(Edina, Minn.), before Lamoureux-Kolls picked up her third goal and sixth point of the night at 11:17.

The U.S. will face Russia tomorrow night (April 8) at 7 p.m. in Burlington, Vt., for its second preliminary-round game of the IIHF Women's World Championship. 

NOTES: Monique Lamoureux-Kolls was named the U.S. Player of the Game and leads the team with six points (3-3) ... The nine goals the U.S. scored against Canada were the most in the 103-game history between the two teams. The previous high of seven goals was set twice, occurring on Jan. 6, 2002 in Detroit, Mich. (Pre-Olympic Tour) and Feb. 14, 1998 in Nagano, Japan (Olympic Winter Games) ... Julie Chu is serving as Team USA's captain, while Jenny Potter and Kacey Bellamy are alternate captains ... Team USA has won four gold medals and nine silvers in the 13 previous IIHF Women's World Championships. The U.S. has won four of the last five world championships (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011) ... Harvard University's Katey Stone will serve as the head coach of the U.S. Women's National Team. Joining Stone as assistant coaches will be Laura Halldorson and Bobby Jay. Stone and Jay were behind the bench for the U.S. at the 2011 Four Nations Cup ... Robb Stauber will serve as the goaltending coach, while Michael Boyle is the strength and conditioning coach