Taylor Heise scored two of the U.S.’s four goals in the first period to set up a dominant 9-0 win over Switzerland tonight in Herning. The win keeps the U.S. even with Canada, both with 3-0 records, and sets up a showdown between the North Americans tomorrow night for first place in Group A and what could be a potential preview to the gold medal game on Sunday.

"We played an awesome game," Heise enthused, "but we're going to take some things away from it and get better. We're very excited. Our line worked really well the first two periods. We have to do the same tomorrow because obviously that's one of the most important games. It will be one of my first games versus Canada, so I'm super excited."

That excitement is tempered, though, by the knowledge that, despite their great play today, they'll need to be even better tomorrow. "A lot of things are different when we play Canada, and that's just how it is," Heise continued. "I think we're going to be careful about stops and starts, stick on puck. They're going to be a lot more physical, in the right ways. We have to put the puck in the right spot for each other, and find the middle of the ice. I think if you put any of our forwards or defence in the middle of the ice with the puck, they're going to score."

Heise was joined in the two-goal club by Hilary Knight, who scored her first two of the tournament and the all-time leading 48th and 49th of her career. In the process, she also recorded her 82nd and 83rd points of her career, moving ever closer to Hayley Wickenhesier's record of 86, which now looks to be in peril sooner rather than later.

Maddie Rooney had to stop a mere four shots (1-2-1) to record the fourth shutout of her career in five Women's Worlds games. She now has a 5-0 record in WW history and has allowed just one goal. Two Swiss goalies faced a barrage of 57 shots at the other end.

"In the first, I think they scored three goals we shouldn't have given up," said Switzerland's coach Colin Muller. "The second, I thought we played okay. The problem is the head-speed and the foot-speed at that level, we're just not there. We spend so long in the defensive zone, it's pretty tough. They played a great game. They're relentless. They drive the middle really hard."

The Swiss are now tied with Finland with three points each and also play tomorrow in what will be a third/fourth-place game in the group. Equally, it is also a potential warmup for what many consider to be the likely bronze-medal game later in the week.

"The Finns played a strong game today," Muller added. "They had some problems at the start with injuries and suspensions, but now they have their full team back. Their first two lines are really quite good, and we have to make sure we're ready to go. After tonight, it's not going to be easy."

The U.S. brought their usual intensity to the first period, not giving the Swiss any hope for the possibility of an upset. Given that the Americans had won all nine previous meetings by a cumulative score of 91-5, that wasn’t very likely anyway, but Abby Roque pointed them in the right direction all the same. She planted herself in the slot, and Lee Stecklein fed her a perfect pass from behind the goal. In target-practise precision, Roque snapped a shot top shelf beyond the glove of Andrea Braendli at 5:48.

Seven minutes later, Caroline Harvey’s long point shot found its way past Braendli, and less than two minutes later Alex Carpenter made a pinpoint pass to Heise, who scored her first of the game.

Three minutes later, Heise was back on the scoresheet, but this goal had a bit of an odour to it. She drove down the left side, and as she went around the net threw the puck in front. It bounced off the skate of Braendli and in for a 4-0 lead, disheartening the Swiss and making clear there would be no grand upset tonight.

Nonetheless, the Swiss came out and played a terrific middle 20 minutes, containing the American attack and getting a few decent possessions of their own. Coach Colin Muller inserted Saskia Maurer in goal, perhaps to give Braendli a respite before tomorrow’s critical game, and she Maurer steady, allowing only one goal.

That came at 15:43 on a U.S. power play, and it was scored off a quick shot from Knight. She also jammed home a puck from the blue ice at 6:15 of the third to make it 7-0. In between, Savannah Harmon lofted a high shot that went crossbar and in at 4:28 of the third. 

In a familiar refrain, Cayla Barnes added another power-play goal with another drifting high wrist shot from the point. Just 16 seconds later, another goal that looked very similar. This time it was a quick point shot from Jincy Dunne that was tipped in front by Grace Zumwinkle. 9-0.

In all, a dominant win for the Americans, and a night to forget for the Swiss. Tomorrow is another day, and it promises two thrilling and important games to close out the preliminary round.