China's women's ice hockey team kicked off the inaugural IIHF Women's Asia Championship in style on Thursday, securing a commanding 5-0 victory against Kazakhstan at Beijing's Shougang Park. The venue, once home to the 2022 Winter Olympics, buzzed with energy as forward Qu Yue stunned the crowd with a goal just 56 seconds into the game .
Teammates Zhang Biyang and Fang Xin added two more goals in the first period, setting the tone for a dominant performance. Captain Yu Baiwei praised the squad's young players, saying, \"This high-level event helps us tap our potential. We're ready to fight to the end!\"
Meanwhile, Japan delivered a jaw-dropping 12-0 win over South Korea, with seven goals scored in the second period alone . The tournament continues Saturday as China takes on South Korea, while Japan faces Kazakhstan. With world No. 7 Japan leading the rankings, all eyes are on whether China can leverage their momentum to climb higher .
Fun fact: The ice rink hosted the World Table Tennis China Smash just weeks ago – talk about a venue with range!
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China Dominates IIHF Opener with 5-0 Win Over Kazakhstan 
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. The tournament continues Saturday as China takes on South Korea, while Japan faces Kazakhstan. With world No. 7 Japan leading the rankings, all eyes are on whether China can leverage their momentum to climb higher 
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