2018 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup

U.S. TOPS CANADA AT PARA CUP

JESS GOWANS

LONDON, Ont. – Steve Cash turned aside all nine shots he faced to record the shutout, and goals from Declan Farmer, Rico Roman and Kyle Zych helped the United States blank Canada 3-0 in its opener Monday at the 2018 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup.

It was the first meeting between the long-time rivals since the gold medal game at the Paralympic Winter Games in March, a narrow 2-1 overtime victory for the Americans.

Canada’s best chances came in the first period, including several chances on the power play, but Cash stood tall against the Canadian offence and made six stops.

Farmer scored the only goal the Americans would need. With the U.S. on the power play in the first, Brody Roybal won a scrambled face-off and made a pass to Farmer, who fired it top corner just past the outstretched glove of Canadian netminder Corbin Watson (Kingsville, Ont.).

Farmer earned another point with an assist on the 2-0 goal by Roman. Farmer raced into the Canadian zone, circled behind the net and found Roman in front for the tap-in.

The final goal of the night came off the stick of Zych. Jack Wallace broke in alone on a breakaway before dropping to a trailing Zych, who wired a shot into the back of the net.

The Canadians played the U.S. nearly even in the first period, but the Americans pulled away in the second and the third and finished the night with a 23-9 advantage in shots on goal.

The United States is back in action Tuesday against Korea (7 p.m. ET), while Canada faces the Koreans in their next game Wednesday (7 p.m. ET).