CANADA TO PLAY FOR GOLD MEDAL AT SLEDGE WORLDS

Canada’s National Sledge Team will play for gold at the 2008 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship after topping the USA 3-0 on Wednesday night in Marlborough, MA.

Undefeated through four games, Canada can finish no worse than second in the round robin, meaning they will play for their second world championship on Saturday night at the New England Sports Center.

Adam Dixon (Midland, ON) led the way offensively for Canada, scoring twice, while Billy Bridges (Summerside, PE) added two assists, giving him a team-leading 14 points in four games.

With a mostly pro-USA crowd of more than 500 in attendance the Canadians struck quick to silence the fans, as a tenacious forecheck deep in the American zone led to a turnover and Bradley Bowden (Orton, ON) beat goaltender Steve Cash just 32 seconds after the opening face-off.

The North American rivals traded chances in the opening 15 minutes, but Canada held their one-goal lead entering the first intermission.

The USA carried the play early in the second period, including a 3-on-1 break, but was unable to beat Canadian netminder Paul Rosen (Thornhill, ON), who needed to make just eight saves to record his second shutout of the tournament.

With the seconds ticking away in the middle frame, Dixon’s point shot handcuffed Cash, giving Canada the insurance they needed and a 2-0 lead heading into the break.

Dixon rounded out the scoring in the third period with a powerplay marker, clinching Canada’s seventh win in eight tries during the 2007-08 season.

After an off day on Thursday, the Canadians will wrap up the round robin against fellow unbeaten Norway (5:20 p.m. ET), the team they will face in Saturday’s gold medal game.

Canada and Norway have met in the gold medal game of the previous three major international events – 2006 Paralympic Winter Games, 2007 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, 2008 international tournament in Japan – with the Canadians coming out on top all three times.

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Final

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Goals/Buts :
CAN – Bradley Bowden 0:32

Penalties/Pénalités :
CAN – Hervé Lord (T-boning) 5:56
CAN – Paul Rosen (Roughing/Rudesse) 12:04

Goals/Buts :
CAN – Adam Dixon (Billy Bridges) 14:46

Penalties/Pénalités :
CAN – Billy Bridges (Roughing/Rudesse) 5:07

Goals/Buts :
CAN – Adam Dixon 2 (Greg Westlake, Billy Bridges) 7:13 PPG

Penalties/Pénalités :
USA – Alexi Salamone (T-boning) 6:41
CAN – Hervé Lord (Interference/Obstruction) 7:13
USA – Taylor Chase (Holding/Retenir) 13:13
USA – Bench (Delay of Game) 13:34