With an overwhelming run in the women's freestyle moguls final Saturday, American Hannah Kearney crashed host Canada's dream to win a gold on the opening day of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games.

Canadian Jennifer Heil, gold medal winner of the event four years ago in Torino, shouldered host's biggest hope to win a title on the opening day after Canada became the only host not to win a gold in two Olympics -- 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics and 1988 Calgary Winter Games.

After Heil completed her run with leading points of 25.69 points, Kearney, 22nd in Torino, gave a superb performance, winning the event by 0.94 points. American Shannon Bahrke took bronze to add to her silver medal from 2002.

Women's moguls was the last final in the day's programme after the normal hill ski jumping, men's 5000m speed skating, women's biathlon 7.5km sprint and the men's 1500m short track speed skating.

Canada did not feature any athletes in normal hill ski jumping and 7.5km sprint while in men's 5000m speed skating, the best place for the host was Lucas Makowsky who finished 13rd. While in short track, Olivier Jean was fourth, one place away from podium.

However, Canadian women's ice hockey team displayed championship mode when the team opened its assault for gold with the biggest blowout in Olympic history, beating Slovakia 18-0.