The United States launched their defense of the women’s ice hockey world championship with a resounding 7-0 victory over Switzerland on Friday in Esbjerg, Denmark.

Hannah Bilka and Laila Edwards shone brightly, each netting two goals, while Kirsten Simms, Hilary Knight, and Casey O’Brien also contributed to the scoreline. Caroline Harvey stood out with three assists, showcasing the American offense.

• Bilka broke the deadlock nine minutes into the match.
• Despite a strong performance from Swiss goaltender Andrea Brändli, who held off the Americans in the first period, the tide turned in the second.
• O’Brien doubled the lead, and Edwards quickly added to it with a power play goal just 15 seconds after a Swiss penalty.

The Americans dominated the second period, outshooting Switzerland 15-3, and added four more goals in the third, including Bilka’s second and a solo effort from Simms. Notably, Knight, the longest-tenured player for the US, scored her 68th goal and 121st point in 88 games, extending her tournament records.

Aerin Frankel earned a shutout in goal, stopping all eight shots, as the Americans improved to 14-0 all-time against Switzerland, who claimed bronze at the February Olympics.

In other matches, Canada opened their tournament with a 5-1 victory over Sweden, while the Czech Republic rallied to beat Austria 4-1. The tournament features two groups of five teams, with the US and Canada leading their respective groups.

A jersey dispute looms as both the US and Canada wear generic jerseys without national logos, leading to ongoing lawsuits against the IIHF in Swiss court. This championship marks a new era, beginning in November for the first time, with the final scheduled for November 16.