HARBIN, CHINA -- Former St. Lawrence standout Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, QC/Calgary, WWHL) scored the eventual game-winning goal at 13:16 of the first period. and former Dartmouth standout Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON/Mississauga, CWHL) and former Harvard star Jennifer Botterill (Winnipeg, MB/Mississauga, CWHL) each registered two points as Canada beat Russia 8-1 on Friday to open the 2008 IIHF World Women's Championship.

Kingsbury's goal came off a hard wrist shot. The puck appeared to hit the crossbar until video review showed that the puck went into the net and quickly came out.

Earlier in the period, Becky Kellar (Hagersville, ON/Burlington, CWHL) opened the game's scoring when she took a slap shot that beat Mariya Onolbaeva. Canada led 2-1 after 20 minutes.

Botterill and Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, ON/Mercyhurst, CHA) scored for Canada in the second period.

And then Canada exploded for four goals in the third, with Piper, Caroline Ouellette (Montreal, QC/Minnesota, CWHL), Hayley Wickenheiser (Shaunavon, SK/Calgary, WWHL) and Agosta finding the back of the net.

Piper and Wickenheiser each finished with a goal and two assists and Kingsbury had a goal and a helper. Botterill finished with two points, giving her 149 in her career with the National Women's Team. Botterill also reached the 150-game plateau on Friday.

Kim St-Pierre (Chateauguay, QC/Montreal, CWHL) made 10 saves for the win in goal.

Canada (1-0) will practise on Saturday in preparation to take on China on Sunday (7 p.m. local time, 7 a.m. ET). That game will be Canada's last in the round-robin before the qualifying round is held.