BRIDGES BRINGS THEM TO THEIR FEET

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI – Islanders can be loud and proud – especially when they’re cheering on one of their own.

And so it was on Tuesday night, as Charlottetown hockey fans watched Canada’s National Sledge Team – which includes Summerside’s Billy Bridges – defeat the United States 3-1 in the first game for both teams at the 2008 World Sledge Hockey Challenge.

Bridges scored Canada’s third and final goal 1:41 into the final frame. Bridges tipped in a point shot from Canada’s captain, Jean Labonté (Hull, QC), a goal that brought the large crowd to its feet.

Bridges joked after the game that he didn’t think he deserved the goal.

“I felt bad for taking that one, because Jean took a shot and it kind of went in off my armpit,” Bridges said with a chuckle. “I’m proud to score in my home province.”

Hervé Lord (St-Pamphile, ON) opened the scoring at 13:53 of the first and Canada took a 1-0 lead into the second. At 2:21 of the middle frame, Marc Dorion (Bourget, ON) scooped up a loose puck and snapped it past USA goaltender Steven Cash.

At 14:00, Chris Manns scored the United States’ lone goal.

Benoît St-Amand (St-Hubert, QC) made nine saves in net for the win. He was named Canada’s player of the game.

Canada (1-0) is the defending champion at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge, having won the 2007 event in Kelowna, BC. Canada will face Norway (1-0) on Wednesday, with the United States meeting Japan in a meeting between two winless teams.