BOWDEN’S 100TH NOT ENOUGH AS CANADA DROPS SLEDGE FINALE

INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. – Brad Bowden (Orton, Ont.) gave Canada’s National Sledge Team an early lead with his 100th career goal, but it wasn’t enough as the Canadians dropped a 3-1 decision to the United States on Saturday in the finale of their three-game series.

Bowden becomes just the third player, after Billy Bridges (Summerside, P.E.I.) and Greg Westlake (Oakville, Ont.) to score 100 goals with Team Canada since Hockey Canada took over the sledge hockey program in 2004.

Westlake had the lone assist on Bowden’s goal Saturday; both players now have 250 points in their international careers, tied for second all-time behind Bridges, who sits atop the national team scoring list with 303.

Coming off a 2-1 loss Friday that snapped its record 16-game winning streak, Canada found the back of the net first when Westlake and Bowden combined for a power play goal at the 7:15 mark of the first period.

But Paul Schaus would pull the Americans even with 1:14 left in the opening frame, sending the game to the intermission tied 1-1 despite Canada holding a lopsided 9-2 advantage in shots on goal.

Just as it did Friday, the Canadian offence disappeared over the last two periods; it combined for just four shots in the second and third. Overall, the U.S. held a 14-13 advantage in shots on goal.

Rico Roman gave the Americans their first lead at 11:06 of the second period, beating Canadian goaltender Corbin Watson (Kingsville, Ont.), and Greg Shaw finished the scoring into an empty net with 15 seconds left in the third and Watson on the bench.

It’s the first time Canada has lost back-to-back games in almost four years, since defeats in the semifinals and bronze medal game at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

The Canadians will play one more series, against Russia next month, before departing for the 2014 Paralympics, which begin March 7 in Sochi.