SASKATOON, Saskatchewan – Switzerland got a look at the player touted as North America’s next hockey sensation on Wednesday, and Eric Lindros didn’t leave much to the imagination.

Lindros, a center with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League, scored a goal and set up four others as Canada opened defense of its world junior hockey championship with a 6-0 victory over the Swiss.

Goaltender Trevor Kidd of the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings had little trouble in recording the shutout, while Swiss goaltender Pauli Jaks stopped the Canadians from hitting double digits.

In another opening-day game, Pavel Bure had two goals and an assist to lead the Soviet Union to a 4-2 victory over the United States.

University of Maine goalie Mike Dunham made 31 saves for the U.S., which was outshot 35-23. Bear defenseman Chris Imes didn’t figure in the scoring.

“They are probably the best team in the tournament, at least offensively, and to keep them down to four goals will open some eyes,” Dunham told a reporter for The Canadian Press afterward. “We stuck to our game plan which is a good sign.”

Konstantine Korotkov and Dmitri Namestnikov also scored for the Soviet Union. Trent Klatt had both goals for the Americans. On Wednesday night, Sweden played Finland and Czechoslovakia met Norway.

Lindros, expected to be the No. 1 overall draft choice in the NHL next summer, set up a pair of goals by Mike Sillinger, a No. 1 draft choice of the Detroit Red Wings who plays with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League.

Manderville, with Pat Falloon adding Canada’s other goal. Manderville, of Cornell University, chipped in with two assists.

Sevigny, of St. Hyacinthe in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, gave the Canadians a 1-0 lead only one minute into the game when he picked up Lindros’s errant pass and beat Jaks.

Manderville, like Lindros, playing in his second straight world junior championship, scored on the power play at 4:13 of the first period before Falloon, a sniper from the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League.