“Let’s shock the world!” came the cry in China’s pre-game huddle –but the host nation saw its Olympic debut derailed by a hat-trick from Sean Farrell.

"It was unbelievable," the youngster said of a five-point haul. "Playing in the Olympics has been a dream of mine forever and to finally be on this stage and open up with something like that is incredible."

Team USA's youthful roster overcame a tight first period and powered to an 8-0 victory led by that treble. The Harvard freshman also had two assists to move clear of the early pacesetters in the tournament scoring race. However, it took some time to wear down a hard-working and hard-hitting Chinese team. With an inexperienced American team, China hoped to disrupt the gameplan from the start and spring a surprise.

The tone was set in the first minute when Zesen Zhang, one of the home-grown players on the roster, laid a big hit on Brock Faber. The host nation was not to be intimidated here. True, team USA created the better early chances but the Olympic newcomer was not overwhelmed by the occasion or the opposition.

"We liked our first period," said defenceman Jieke Kailiaosi (Jake Chelios). "They are a young, skilled team and we wanted to come out and show them that we're not just going to get run over. That's why it got a little physical out there.

"We got in a little penalty trouble and that'll wear you down, but I felt like we competed so that's a positive we'll take into the next game."

Much of that was down to goalie Jieruimi Shimisi (Jeremy Smith). He’s a workhorse for Kunlun Red Star in the KHL and continued to be busy here, making five saves in the first five minutes. By the end of the game, he faced 55 shots and finished with 47 saves, numbers he often produces in club hockey as well.

"It was busy in my end but that was to be expected," Shimisi said. "We had a game-plan coming in. I think we'll regroup, look at our mistakes and learn from them. We all feel proud of what we've done today, and who knows about the future?"

At the other end, there was a great chance for Jiang Fu (Spencer Foo) when he spun his way past Nick Perbix to carve out an eye-catching opportunity to shoot at Drew Commesso. However, in the KHL, Kunlun is one of the most penalized teams this season with 448 PIMs in 48 games and Fu’s decision to run over the goalie handed the Americans a second power play of the game.

That, in turn, brought the opening goal. Brendan Brisson tried to play in Matt Knies before skating in to pounce on an underhit attempted clearance from Taile Wang (Tyler Wong). Brisson’s second attempt was devastating, wiring in a one-timer over Shimisi’s shoulder.

"It was really nice to score the first goal," Brisson said. "Hopefully I have a couple more in me the rest of the tournament to help the team win some more games.

"We had a lot of shots, we ended up putting eight goals in, but their goalie played really well. It's something we're going to run into all tournament, good goaltending. It's not always gonna go in off your first shot, so it's about keeping with it."

The Chinese remained competitive in the first period without ever looking very close to tying the game. And in the middle frame, team USA took full control. Five minutes into the second period, Noah Cates shrugged off a bruising hit from Kailiaosi – son of the similarly uncompromising Hall-of-Famer Chris Chelios – to double the lead when he gobbled up a beautiful no-look feed from Sean Farrell behind the Chinese net.

Farrell, a Canadiens prospect currently playing for Harvard in the NCAA, produced an Ivy League performance on his Olympic debut. That sumptuous assist was followed by four more points to put him atop the scoring chart after the first games for each of the 12 teams in this competition.

"From day one, we've always been talking about our team being on the attack," he added. "We had a lot of chances in the first, some that maybe could have gone in, but we just stayed with it and eventually the goals came."

Midway through the session, China wasted a power play chance when Shuai Fu (Parker Foo) was cited for high sticks just three seconds into the advantage. Four-on-four play suited the USA and KHL duo Andy Miele and Brian O’Neill combined for the Jokerit Helsinki man to score off a neat behind-the-back feed from the American captain. And late in the frame, team USA erased any lingering prospect of a shock result when China got tangled up in centre ice and Farrell emphatically converted the subsequent odd man rush.

Farrell’s impressive Olympic debut continued with a second goal right at the start of the third. Steven Kampher, impressive for Ak Bars Kazan this season, created this one when he picked up the leftovers, went around the back and set up his young colleague to shoot into an open net. 

The only remaining question was whether China could grab its first ever Olympic goal. Jiang Fu went close when he fired a pass from his brother Shuai dangerously to the short side, only for Commesso to block it away.

A late power play brought more Chinese chances, with Juncheng Yan redirecting a Jie Liu (Jason Fram) shot narrowly wide. And the 19-year-old goalie, the youngest ever to represent the USA at the Games, secured a shut-out with 29 saves.

At the other end, though, Team USA kept on scoring. Farrell got his fourth point of the night as Ben Meyers added a goal to his two helpers. And Matty Beniers showed why he was the #2 draft pick with a blistering shot from the right-hand dot that sizzled across Shimisi to make it 7-0. The eighth goal was a well-worked effort from Farrell on the power play to complete his hat-trick and a convincing win.

Despite the result, China took plenty from its day in the spotlight. "It was a great experience," added Kailiaosi. "It wasn't the result that we wanted, but all of us got the chance to play at the Olympics. The last few years we've been working for this, there's been so much anticipation and it's been such an awesome experience."

For Shimisi too, it was an unforgetable occasion. "To be the first goalie in Olympic history for China is an honour," he said. "I'm thankful for the opportunity and it's pretty surreal."