ADAM PAGE NOTCHES TWO, AMERICANS TOP JAPANESE 8-1 IN LONDON

The United States evened its record to 1-1 at the 2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge with a convincing 8-1victory over Japan on Tuesday afternoon.

The lead began early for the Americans, with Adam Page scoring the first of his two goals a mere 15seconds into the game. The United States continued to carry the play, also closing out the period with a goalfrom Tim Jones at 19:14, to make it 2-0 going into the first intermission.

The second period started the same way as the first, with Page scoring his second at the 1:04 mark. With a3-0 lead motivating their confidence on the ice, the Americans dominated throughout the second, keeping thepuck in the Japanese zone for much of the period. A fourth goal from Daniel McCoy chased Japan’s MajimaMakoto from the net.

But the goaltending change midway through the game did little to impact the outcome, as Josh Pauls, NikkoLanderos and Taylor Lipsett were all able to find the mesh behind Fukushima Shinobu , making it 7-0 by theend of the second frame.

The third gave American goaltender Justin Kreger some action, who replaced Steve Cash in the net for thelast 20 minutes of the game. Daniel McCoy’s marker made it 8-0 at 15:07 in the period, and although Japan wasable to break the shutout on a goal from Eiji Misawa in last 17 seconds game, the 8-1 game belonged to theAmericans, who garnered their first win in London.

Students from several local elementary schools filled the stands to cheer on both sledge teams, making foran enthusiastic and boisterous crowd inside Western Fair Sports Centre.

United States next takes on Norway at 12:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, while Japan faces the Canadian host teamat 7 p.m. ET.

Penalties:
   03:17 JPN 29 Tomohiko Maruo (Holding)

Penalties:
   13:39 USA 25 Kevin McKee (Interference)
   18:13 USA 8 Greg Shaw (Interference)

Penalties:
   11:28 USA 4 Jim Connelly (Interference)
   16:43 JPN 29 Tomohiko Maruo (Teeing)