ST. CLOUD, Minn. — After 23 years of trying to put the puck in the net, Karyn Bye's hockey world was turned upside down last October.
That's when Team USA coach Ben Smith asked Bye to move to defense.
Now, six months later, the transformation is complete. And at least partly because of it, the American women are in perhaps their best position ever to win a global title in this week's International Ice Hockey Federation's Women's World Championship.
"It's been very different, I have to admit," said the 29-year-old Bye, who scored once and assisted twice in Team USA's 13-0 victory over Germany in the tournament opener for both teams Monday night in St. Cloud State University's National Hockey Center.
Bye, one of the most prolific scorers in the 14-year history of international women's hockey competition, still can and does put the puck in the net. But it is no longer her primary concern.
"As a defenseman, sure, I want to score goals, but I have to be out there preventing them more, so it's a different mind-set for me," said the River Falls, Wis., native, who is playing in her sixth World Championship tournament. "I think the more time I spend back there, the more comfortable I get."
Bye and the entire U.S. team looked relaxed Monday night. Katie King and Chris Bailey each scored two goals, and 16 of the 18 American skaters had at least a goal or an assist as the Americans coasted to an easy win. Bye unleashed her slap shot from long range several times, but it was her offensive-minded attack of the net in the second period that resulted in her goal.
Smith had more time to experiment with his team this season because the women lived and trained together, for the first time, at the Olympic facilities in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Bye's position switch worked well from the start. In early November, she had five assists and played stubborn defense as the U.S. went 3-1 to claim silver in the Four Nations Cup in Provo. In 34 games against college, club and international teams, Bye had three goals, 27 assists and was whistled for just four penalties.
"She is one of those players who is very, very task-oriented, so when you give her one she's going to attack it and that's what she's done with this assignment," Smith said of Bye, who was assistant captain when the Americans took Olympic gold in '98 and is assisting captain Cammi Granato again this week.
"I know in a lot of ways it's a personal statistics loss in regard to offensive numbers, but I don't think it's a loss in what she can do for her team."
At 5-foot-8, 165-pounds, Bye is the second-biggest defenseman on the team.
"She's got an incredible shot from the point," said teammate A.J. Mleczko, who teamed with Bye on the same defensive unit Monday. "She is a very technically smart player."
Bye might still be on offense if not for a knee injury that knocked veteran Tara Mounsey out for the year.
Bye isn't sure if she'll be playing defense when the Americans try to defend Olympic gold in Utah next February. But she knows that's where she'll play for the next week, at least, as the U.S. tries to dethrone Canada.
The Canadians have won all six previous World Championships, beating the Americans in the gold-medal game each time.
"We know we can beat them," Bye said of the Canadians, who won their opening-round game Monday, 11-0 over Kazakstan.
"When you look at the two teams, both teams are extremely talented, and I think on any given day either team can win."
The U.S. has defeated Canada three out of four times this season, most recently during the NHL All-Star break in Denver in February.
In that game, Bye's offensive instincts came in handy. With seven minutes left and the game tied 2-2, Bye strayed a bit from her defensive roost and positioned herself on the attack. Trailing center Julie Chu on the play, Bye looked like the high-scoring forward of old when she took Chu's backhand pass and stuffed a wrist shot into the net for the game-winner.
Monday night, the Americans wasted little time jumping on the outmatched Germans. They led 11-0 after two periods and goalie Sarah Tueting needed just 11 saves to earn the shutout.
"Obviously, it was a game we wanted to dominate," Smith said after the win. "It's been a long haul for these players and now this thing is right in front of us."
It was the Americans' 11th shutout in 31 World Championship games since the first tournament was held in 1990.
Team USA continues pool play in St. Cloud Tuesday night against China. The U.S. beat China 8-2 and 12-0 in a pair of exhibition games in New York two weeks ago. A victory would clinch a spot in the medals round for the Americans, who are expected to once again meet the Canadians for the gold medal, on Sunday.
Monday's other games:
FINLAND 7, CHINA 6: Marja-Helena Palvila scored two goals, including the game-winner with 3:04 left, as third-seeded Finland (1-0) barely escaped with a win over sixth-seeded China (0-1). Finnish goalie Tuula Puputti had 20 saves. Hongmei Liu scored twice for the Chinese, who never led in the contest.
RUSSIA 3, SWEDEN 0: Irina Gachennikova stopped 32 shots for the shutout as fifth-seeded Russia surprised fourth-seeded Sweden. Larisa Mishina scored the first and last goals for Team Russia. Ekaterina Pashkevich added a goal and an assist. Russia won despite being whistled for 11 penalties to five for the Swedes.
CANADA 11, KAZAKHSTAN 0: Jennifer Botterill and Caroline Quellette each scored twice as Canada scored six goals in the first period and never looked back.
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