LANDEROS SCORES TWICE AS AMERICANS OPEN WITH WIN

CALGARY, Alta. – Nikko Landeros scored twice and added an assist and Greg Shaw had a goal and a helper as the United States opened the 2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge with a 5-1 win over Norway on Sunday night.

The U.S. victory brought the all-time series between the rivals at the WSHC to three wins apiece; the teams split two meetings at last April’s tournament in London, Ont., with the Norwegians scoring a 5-4 semifinal victory.

The Americans were efficient on offence, scoring five times on just 16 shots against Norwegian netminder Kjell Christian Hamar.

Daniel McCoy opened the scoring for the U.S. just shy of the midway point of the opening period, and Taylor Lipsett made it a two-goal game just over five minutes later with the eventual game-winner.

Landeros and Norway’s Morton Vaernes traded goals in the second period to send the game to the intermission at 3-1 in favour of the U.S., and Landeros and Shaw rounded out the scoring 1:42 apart in the third.

The Americans will aim for a 2-0 start when they take on Japan in Monday’s early game (noon MT), while Norway faces Canada in a rematch of April’s gold medal game in the nightcap (7 p.m. MT).

Penalties:
   00:35 USA 21 Alexi Salamone (Teeing)
   17:14 USA 20 Adam Page (Interference)
   18:12 NOR 85 Thomas Jacobsen (Holding)

Penalties:
   03:45 USA 19 Taylor Chace (Holding)
   13:26 USA 5 Brad Emmerson (Teeing)
   19:53 NOR 3 Rolf Einar Pedersen (Roughing)

Penalties:
   None