NATIONAL SLEDGE TEAM GOLDEN IN JAPAN AFTER WIN OVER NORWAY

ASAHIKAWA, Japan – Canada’s National Sledge Team will have a little extra baggage on its flight home from the Land of the Rising Sun after topping Norway 3-2 in the gold medal game of the Japan Paralympic 2008 Ice Sledge Hockey International Match on Saturday.

Greg Westlake (Oakville, ON) scored twice, including the game winner 10 minutes into the second period, as Canada topped its Scandinavian rivals for the second time at the tournament.

The Canadians have now beaten Norway in the gold medal game at the last three major international competitions, including wins at the 2007 World Sledge Hockey Challenge in Kelowna, BC and the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

The Norwegians came out with the advantage in the opening period, outshooting Canada 7-3, but Canadian goaltender Paul Rosen (Thornhill, ON) was up to the challenge, stymieing the Norwegian attack time and time again.

Eskil Hagen finally got a puck past Rosen very late in the period, giving Norway a 1-0 lead with just 42 seconds to go before the first intermission.

But the Norwegian lead would last just a dozen seconds after the break, as Billy Bridges (Summerside, PE) took a pass from Canadian captain Jean Labonté (Hull, QC) and beat netminder Roger Johansen to draw the Canadians even.

Bridges, who also added two assists in the gold medal game victory, finished with a team-leading 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in four games.

Westlake picked up his team-leading fifth goal of the tournament just three minutes after Bridges’ marker to give Canada the lead, and, after Norway’s Kjell Vidar Royne had pulled his team even, gave Canada the lead once again with a goal at the 10:39 mark.

Rosen was the story the rest of the way, as he turned away everything the Norwegians threw at him over the final 20 minutes, clinching another gold medal for Canada, who will take the momentum of this win into the 2008 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship, March 29th to April 5th in Marlborough, MA.

Rosen finished with 16 saves as Norway outshot the Canadians 18-11.

Canadian forward Bradley Bowden (Orton, ON), who joined Bridges and Westlake as the third member of Canada’s top line – the trio combined for 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in four games – was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

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Goals/Buts :
NOR – Eskil Hagen 14:18

Penalties/Pénalités :
CAN – Todd Nicholson (Interference) 4:14

Goals/Buts :
CAN – Billy Bridges (Jean Labonté, Bradley Bowden) 0:12
CAN – Greg Westlake (Billy Bridges) 3:47
NOR – Kjell Vidar Royne (Rolf Pedersen, Eskil Hagen) 7:46
CAN – Greg Westlake (Billy Bridges) 10:39

Penalties/Pénalités :
NOR – Rolf Pedersen (Boarding) 15:00

Goals/Buts :
No Scoring

Penalties/Pénalités :
NOR – Roger Johansen (Interference) 13:56