BRIDGES NOTCHES WINNER AS CANADA CLINCHES SLEDGE SERIES WITH 2-1 VICTORY OVER USA

Billy Bridges (Summerside, PE) scored the game-winner eleven minutes into the first period, capping off a wild opening period and helping Canada’s National Sledge Team to a 2-1 win over the USA on Friday night in Park City, Utah, clinching the three-game series by taking the first two contests.

Hervé Lord (St-Pamphile, QC) also scored for Canada, who improved to 4-1 early in the 2007-08 sledge hockey season. Jeremy Booker (Ajax, ON), Mark Noot (Winterbourne, ON) and Canadian captain Jean Labonté (Hull, QC) each picked up an assist in the win.

One night after being stymied by Canadian goaltender Paul Rosen (Thornhill, ON) for much of the game in a 6-2 loss, the Americans struck very early against Benoît St-Amand (St-Hubert, QC), who got the call between the pipes for Canada, as Taylor Chace gave the hosts a 1-0 lead with an unassisted effort just 31 seconds after the game’s opening face-off.

Lord pulled the Canadians even with his first goal of the series at the nine-minute mark of the first period, taking a pass from Booker and beating American goaltender Steve Cash, who returned to the nets after being pulled during Thursday night’s loss.

Bridges – who had four points in the win on Thursday – gave Canada their first lead at the 10:54, beating Cash for the eventual game-winner.

The goaltenders took over for the final two periods, with Cash making 11 saves and St-Amand turning aside 10 as both teams were held off the scoresheet in the final 30 minutes. The USA held a 16-14 advantage overall in shots on goal.

The two teams wrap up their three-game series on Saturday night in Park City, with the opening face-off set for 7:00 p.m. MT.

Canada Lineup

22 Benoit St-Amand (G)
57 Paul Rosen (G)
11 Adam Dixon (D)
17 Jean Labonté (D)
21 Raymond Grassi (D)
34 Mark Noot (D)
3 Hervé Lord (F)
7 Marc Dorion (F)
8 Jeremy Booker (F)
9 Dany Verner (F)
10 Shawn Matheson (F)
18 Billy Bridges (F)
19 Todd Nicholson (F)
27 Brad Bowden (F)
29 Graeme Murray (F)

USA Lineup

27 Mike Blabac (G)
67 Steve Cash (G)
3 Tim Jones (D)
4 Jimmy Connelly (D)
17 Michael Hallman (D)
23 Nick Teodoro (D)
44 Chris Manns (D)
5 Brad Emmerson (F)
7 Taylor Lipsett (F)
8 Greg Shaw (F)
9 John Bryan (F)
15 Josh Moran (F)
20 Adam Page (F)
21 Alexi Salamone (F)
22 Bruce Nelson (F)
25 Bubba Torres (F)
26 Taylor Chace (F)

1

2

3

Final

2

0

0

2

1

0

0

1

Goals/Buts :
USA 26 Chase 0:31
CAN 3 Lord (8 Booker, 17 Labonté) 9:00
CAN 18 Bridges (34 Noot) 10:54

Penalties/Pénalités :
CAN 11 Dixon (Interference) 2:04
USA 25 Torres (Charging) 5:04

Goals/Buts :
none

Penalties/Pénalités :
CAN 21 Grassi (Charging) 13:04
CAN 34 Noot (Interference) 14:52

Goals/Buts :
none

Penalties/Pénalités :
CAN 27 Bowden (Roughing – double minor) 6:38
CAN 29 Murray (Roughing) 6:38
USA 7 Lipsett (Roughing – double minor) 6:38
USA 4 Connelly (Roughing – double minor) 6:38
CAN 10 Matheson (Interference) 10:23
CAN 3 Lord (Roughing) 13:57