2018-19 National Para Hockey Team

CANADA DROPS PARA SERIES FINALE

JASON LA ROSE

MONTREAL, Que. – Anthony Culmone (Mississauga, Ont.) opened the scoring on a first-period power play and Tyson Rietveld (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) made 21 saves, but Canada’s National Para Hockey Development Team fell 4-1 to the United States in the finale of their series Sunday at the 2019 Défi sportif AlterGo.

Canada was on the wrong end of a 13-3 shot count in the first period, but Culmone finished a set-up from captain Cody Dolan (Calgary, Alta.) for a man-advantage marker at 9:07 for a 1-0 lead.

Rietveld was at his best in the opening 15 minutes, making 12 saves, but Christian Storms pulled the Americans even with less than two minutes to go in the period.

The U.S. power play produced the eventual game-winning goal late in the second period; Joseph Woodke snuck a shot past Rietveld, making it a 2-1 game after 30 minutes.

Canada had the jump in the third period, swarming Kyle Huckaby in search of the tying goal, but couldn’t solve the American netminder.

David Eustace added breathing room on a late U.S. power play, extending the lead to 3-1 with just under four minutes to go, and he beat Rietveld again from long range only eight seconds later to provide the final margin of victory.

The Americans finished with a 25-10 edge in shots on goal.