CHANGCHUN, Northeast China, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Kazakhstan men's ice hockey team had a flying start at the 6th Asian Winter Games by smashing the UAE 38-0 here on Saturday, producing the largest ever score of the tournament by now.

    The runners-up four years ago, top ranked in Asia and the 11th in the world at present, needed only 10 minutes to prove their strength and ambition by scoring eight times.

    "The two teams are not on the same level," said Y. Sagymbayev, head coach of the Kazak team.

    Kazakhstan were upset by Japan 7-2 in the final at the 5th edition of the Winter Asiad in Aomori, Japan, in 2003.

    "Our goal here is to get the first place," said Sagymbayev. " This is only a warm-up, a preparation for the following games.

    "I hope the players can play better in the later games as there are mush stronger opponents waiting for us."

    The UAE team, who beat Thailand 4-0 in the opening game, were stunned by the gold medal favorites in the first period by lagging behind with 14-0, which was already the largest ever goal difference since the beginning of the tournament.

    The UAE team could hardly touch the ball and did not have one attack until almost nine minutes.

    "I am happy with what the players did today," said Yury Faikou, coach of the UAE team. "We are amateurs playing against professionals."

    "The Kazaks have to take the first place, have to," said Faikou. "Japan are not a team for the first place. Kazaks are so much better."

    The reigning champions Japan, ranked 21st in the world, struggled past DPR Korea 6-1 in an earlier game with a second period burst of five goals, four of which were scored in a span off our minutes.