HAMEENLINNA, Finland – Seven different players scored in leading the U.S. Women's National Team to an 8-0 rout of Russia to close out preliminary-round play at the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championship here today at the Patria Arena. With the win, Team USA finished atop Group A in the preliminary round with a 2-0-0-0 record and advanced to the qualifying round.

Team USA went up 1-0 in the first period, then gained a 6-0 advantage in the latter half of the second frame and added a pair of insurance goals in the final stanza, while holding a 49-13 shots advantage. Julie Chu (Fairfield, Conn.) netted two goals and added an assist, while Caitlin Cahow accounted for three helpers. U.S. netminder Molly Schaus (Natick, Mass.) earned her first career U.S. shutout with 13 saves.

"We ran into some adversities, which is good for the team," said Team USA Head Coach Mark Johnson, who is also the head women's ice hockey coach at the University of Wisconsin. "We passed the test, which helps us in our preparation for our next game on Thursday."

Meghan Duggan (Danvers, Mass.) was the lone goal-scorer of the opening frame, as her first tally of the tournament came at 7:16 when Cahow brought the puck through the left faceoff circle and found Duggan for a tap-in from the slot.

The score remained 1-0 through the first half of the second period, then the U.S. scored a pair of shorthanded goals :31 apart to gain a 3-0 advantage. Jenny Potter (Edina, Minn.) and Hilary Knight (Hanover, N.H.) went on 2-on-1 rush, Knight put a shot on Russian goaltender Nadezda Alexandrova and Potter knocked the rebound in the open right side of the net at 11:41. Then, shortly after the center-ice faceoff and while Team USA was still down a skater, Schaus directed the puck to Angela Ruggiero (Harper Woods, Mich.), who took a shot the length of the ice that went past Alexandrova at 12:12.

Team USA scored three more times in a :50 span to take a 6-0 lead heading into the second intermission. Kelli Stack (Brooklyn Heights, Ohio) took a pass from Monique Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) and put it in the left side of the net at 17:32 on the power play. Lisa Chesson (Plainfield, Ill.) recorded her first career U.S. goal just :37 later, which prompted a Russian goalie change. Then, just :13 later, Chu snuck one inside the left post for her fourth tournament goal.

Gigi Marvin (Warroad, Minn.) and Chu each scored in the final frame to account for the 8-0 final count.

NOTES: Team USA was 2-for-10 on the power play, while holding Russia scoreless on six opportunities ... Jenny Potter was named U.S. Player of the Game, while Julie Chu was selected as the most skilled U.S. player of the game ... Coverage of the 2009 IIHF World Women's Championship can be found on USAHockey.com, as well as on the U.S. Women's National Team's Facebook page and on USA Hockey's Twitter page. ... Team USA has won two gold medals and nine silvers in the 11 previous IIHF World Women’s Championships. The U.S. has won two of the last three world championships (2005, 2008) … Mark Johnson will serve as the head coach for Team USA through the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C. Joining Johnson on the coaching staff as assistant coaches at the 2009 IIHF World Women's Championship are Dave Flint, head women’s ice hockey coach at Northeastern University, and Jodi McKenna, head women’s ice hockey coach at Wesleyan University.