KAMLOOPS, B.C. — Canada will open the 2016 women's world hockey championships in Kamloops, B.C., against the United States.
The eight-country tournament opens March 28 at the Sandman Centre and concludes with the gold-medal game April 4.
The Americans beat Canada 7-5 in the 2015 final in Malmo, Sweden, to claim a fifth world title over the last six tournaments.
Canada, Finland, Russia and the U.S. are in Group A while the Czech Republic, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland are in Group B.
The top two countries in Group A earn byes to the semifinals April 3. The bottom two take on the top two from Group B in the quarter-finals.
Canada has won 10 gold medals in the 16 women's world championships held to date, with the most recent in 2012 in Burlington, Vt.
Kamloops will also host the B.C. provincial girls' peewee, bantam and midget championships March 27-30 during the women's world tournament.
