FOUR IN THIRD HELPS U.S. BEAT CANADA IN DEVELOPMENT SERIES FINALE

JASON LA ROSE

CALGARY, Alta. – Rob Armstrong (Mississauga, Ont.) scored late in the third period, but four goals in the final 15 minutes were the difference for Canada’s National Sledge Development Team, which wrapped up its three-game series with a 5-1 loss to the United States on Friday.

Canada came up short in all three games, losing 3-0 on Wednesday and 3-2 in a shootout on Thursday.

The U.S. wasted no time getting on the board; Chandler Couture hammered a shot off the far post and past Canadian netminder Jonathan Derry (West Pine Ridge, Man.) just 5:40 into the first period.

That goal would be the lone marker of the opening 30 minutes, with Kris Dutkiewicz (Kitchener, Ont.) coming on to replace Derry between the pipes just shy of the halfway mark of the second period.

The offensive floodgates opened in the third, beginning with a goal off the stick of Noah Grove just nine seconds into an American power play, and just 89 seconds into the final frame.

Canada had its chances on a man advantage midway through the period, but it was the U.S. that would find the back of the net; Craig Brady sprung Couture on a shorthanded breakaway, and he went to the left hand to beat Dutkiewicz for a 3-0 lead.

Jack Wallace made it 4-0 at 10:42 before Armstrong took a pass from Tyrone Henry (Ottawa, Ont.) and snapped a shot high to the blocker side past U.S. goaltender Griffin LaMarre just 21 seconds later.

Dutkiewicz went to the Canadian bench with three minutes left in hopes of a big Canadian comeback, but Kyle Zych found the empty net for the U.S. at 12:50, capping the scoring.

The Americans held a lopsided 29-5 advantage in shots on goal, including 9-0 in the second period and 15-2 in the third.