Czechs beat China 3-1, win Olympic debut in women’s hockey
By JOHN WAWROW
AP Hockey Writer
BEIJING (AP) — Michaela Pejzlova scored on a breakaway with 13:33 left in the third period and the Czech Republic capped its women’s hockey Olympic debut with a 3-1 win over host China at the Beijing Games. Tereza Radova became her nation’s first woman to score in the Olympics by redirecting defender Aneta Tejralova’s pass into the slot to open the scoring 10:38 into a game the Czech Republic never trailed. Natalie Spooner and Claire Thompson had five points each in Canada’s 12-1 rout of Switzerland in Group A. Japan defeated Sweden 3-1 in a Group B matchup. The defending champion United States opens the tournament later in the day against Finland.