CANADA’S GOLDEN – WESTLAKE’S LATE GOAL WINS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

When Canada’s National Sledge Team crosses the border back into Canada on Sunday, it will have a little extra luggage than it did when it departed for the 2008 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship 11 days ago.

Greg Westlake (Oakville, ON) scored with just nine seconds remaining on the clock as Canada claimed its first world championship since 2000 with a 3-2 win over Norway on Saturday night in Marlborough, MA.

Westlake’s goal completed a Canadian comeback in the final eight-and-a-half minutes, and wrapped up an impressive 17-2 2007-08 season.

The Canadians struck first, as Billy Bridges (Summerside, PE) recorded his seventh goal of the tournament just past the midway point of the opening 15 minutes.

But Bridges would not be around to see the dramatic finish, as he was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct after an altercation with Norway’s Rolf Einar Pedersen at the end of the first period.

The Norwegians pulled even on the ensuing powerplay early in the second period, as Kjell Vidar Royne beat Canadian goaltender Paul Rosen (Thornhill, ON) just 24 seconds after the period’s opening face-off.

Even entering the final period, it was the Norwegians who struck quickly once again, as Eskil Hagen beat Rosen just 41 seconds in.

Undaunted, the Canadians continued to pressure Norway, and were rewarded on the powerplay at 6:38, as Adam Dixon (Midland, ON) scored his fifth goal of the world championship to pull Canada even and set up Westlake’s heroics.

With the time ticking away, Westlake was denied by the goal post but made no mistake seconds later, setting off a raucous celebration in the New England Sports Center.

The win gave Canada ownership of sledge hockey’s three biggest prizes, as the National Sledge Team had previously taken home the top prize from the Paralympic Winter Games (2006) and the World Sledge Hockey Challenge (2007).

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Final

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Goals/Buts :
CAN – Billy Bridges (Greg Westlake) 7:52

Penalties/Pénalités :
CAN – Mark Noot (Interference/Obstruction) 8:22
NOR – Rolf Einar Pederson (Roughing/Rudesse) 11:35
CAN – Graeme Murray (Hooking/Accrocher) 14:13
CAN – Billy Bridges (Spearing/Coup de baton) 15:00
CAN – Billy Bridges (Game Misconduct/Inconduite de match) 15:00

Goals/Buts :
NOR – Kjell Vidar Royne (Eskil Hagen) 0:24

Penalties/Pénalités :
NOR – Rolf Einar Pederson (Elbowing/Donner de coude) 2:37
CAN – Hervé Lord (T-boning) 5:58
NOR – Knut Helge Nordstoga (T-boning) 12:20
NOR – Helga Bjornestad (T-boning) 12:56

Goals/Buts :
NOR – Eskil Hagen (Rolf Einar Pederson) 0:41
CAN – Adam Dixon (Bradley Bowden) 6:38 PP
CAN – Greg Westlake (Bradley Bowden, Todd Nicholson) 14:51

Penalties/Pénalités :
NOR – Helge Bjoernstad (Charging/Assaut) 3:19
NOR – Tommy Rovelstad (Interference/Obstruction) 5:21
NOR – Rolf Einar Pedersen (T-boning) 6:12

CAN Roster/Alignement

NOR Roster/Alignement

1 roger johansen g
33 rolf einar pedersen d
4 tommy rovelstad d
7 eskii hagen f
8 stig tore svee f
9 morgen vaernes f
11 helge bjoernstad f
12 johan siqveland d
13 kjell vidar royne d
16 knut helge nordstoga f
17 loyd remi johansen f
22 audun bakke f

Manager: kent robert nyholt
Head coach: morten haglund
Asst coach: eyvind kristiansen