The U.S. racked up six third-period goals to defeat gutsy Slovakia 7-1 in its opener on Sunday. Captain Maggie Scannell scored the go-ahead goal 32 seconds into the final frame.

On a nice give-and-go with Ava Thomas, Scannell tipped the puck past Slovak starter Livia Debnarova's blocker. That kicked off a run of five U.S. goals in just 4:02, the fastest five goals in U18 Women's Worlds history. The old record (6:04) was set by Sweden in an 8-1 win over Germany in 2009.

"We had 40 shots on net going into the third period," Scannell said. "We were just saying, 'We need to get more shots, keep the puck going to the net.' And good for us! The puck went in."

The U.S., which settled for the bronze medal in 2023, has only lost three preliminary-round games in tournament history, all to archrival Canada (2017, 2020, 2023). When the Slovaks led this game 1-0 for more than 22 minutes and kept it at 1-1 through 40 minutes, it created visions of a major upset. It wasn't to be.

"I think penalties during the second period cost us a lot," said Slovak head coach Gabriela Sabolova. "We couldn't use all four lines. We lost the tempo of the game due to that."

Caroline Averill added a pair of goals. Josie St. Martin, Jordyn Petrie, Ava Thomas, and Morgan McGathey also tallied for the Americans, who outshot the Slovaks 63-10.

Of setting the speed record for five goals, St. Martin said: "It's amazing. Records are made to be broken."

Slovakia's Alicka Jurikova opened the scoring in the first WW18 meeting ever between these nations.

Despite getting pulled early in the third period, Debnarova deserved praise for giving her team a chance. The U.S.'s Layla Hemp recorded her first tournament win of 2024. Debnarova is playing her third straight U18 Women’s Worlds. Hemp appeared in one game in 2023, an 8-1 preliminary-round win over Finland.

Slovakia made the top division for the first time in 2020, finishing eighth. The Slovaks finished sixth in both 2022 and 2023.

The Americans want to bounce back after failing to make the final for the first time ever in 2023. In Ostersund, host Sweden shocked the U.S. 2-1 in the semi-finals before they blanked Finland 5-0 for bronze.

Propelled by drum-beating, chanting Slovak fans, the underdogs hung in there in the early going. After blueliner Alexandra Mateichkova went off for hauling down Mary Derrenbacher as she busted to the net, they killed off the minor with disciplined box play. Better still, Jurikova got loose for a shorthanded breakaway and went high glove side for a 1-0 lead at 5:13.

"It was an amazing moment for me because it was the first time I scored for the national team," Jurikova said.

The U.S. outshot Slovakia 21-5 in the first period, but most shots were from the outside.

"A lot of our shots were really perimeter early on," said U.S. coach Liz Keady Norton. "I think when you're trying to get that first goal coming from behind, there's a lot of 'hey, just get shots on net.' Having the confidence to hold on to the puck, play with your head up, move it when you need to move it, possess it and wear them down, that goes a long way in games like that."

In the second period, Debnarova stoned Petrie and Scannell from between the hash marks. But the Americans persisted and found the equalizer at 8:08.

Kendra Distad, below the goal line, found Caroline Averill in the left faceoff circle and she sent a sizzler past the Slovak goalie. Averill, like her 2008-born younger sister Margaret, is making her U18 Women's Worlds debut.

"It was nice to get things going," said Averill. "My linemate made a great play."

Penalty troubles kept the Slovaks pinned in their own end midway through. With about four minutes left, 2023 tournament MVP Nela Lopusanova dangled through the U.S. defence but couldn't solve Hemp. Slovakia proved ineffective during a late-period power play with Megan Healy off for tripping.

In the third period, just 1:13 after Scannell's go-ahead goal, St. Martin scored top shelf at 1:45 to provide some breathing room.

"It was a great pass up ice, great transition from Morgan [McGathey]," St. Martin said. "I fought for the puck and just chipped it up over the goalie's shoulders.

Averill got her second goal 11 seconds later on another sweet Distad feed. Petrie scored on a great rush at 2:58 to make it 5-1.

Mariana Sumegova replaced Debnarova in net at this point, but it didn't matter, as Thomas stretched the lead to 6-1 at 4:34. McGathey rounded out the scoring with a power-play marker at 9:31.

Of the coaching staff's message to the team during the second intermission, Norton related: "We said, 'Big dog's gotta eat!' It was sticking to the game plan, not getting too frustrated. We've got a young group and we've got to learn every period."

There was an element of familiarity here for Lopusanova. She moved to Rochester, New York for 2023-24 to hone her hockey talents, and this game saw the 15-year-old Zilina native going up against two of her Bishop Kearney Selects teammates in defenders Megan Healy and Rose Dwyer. (Assistant captain Bella Fanale, also with Bishop Kearney, was out versus Slovakia.)

In this opener, Lopusanova was guilty at times of trying to do too much, which resulted in several turnovers. It's all part of the learning process.

The last time the U.S. won this tournament was in 2020. On a 2-on-0 break, Kiara Zanon scored the 2-1 overtime winner against Canada in Bratislava. Overall, the U.S. owns a tournament-leading eight gold medals.