HICKEY SCORES SHOOTOUT WINNER, CANADA TOPS U.S. IN SERIES OPENER

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Liam Hickey (St. John’s, N.L./Avalon Sled Dogs) scored the winner in the second round of the shootout to give Canada’s National Sledge Development Team a 1-0 win over the United States in the opener of a three-game series Thursday.

It’s Canada’s first win over their North American rivals this season; the U.S. swept a three-game series in London, Ont., in January, earning victories in regulation time, overtime and a shootout.

Brendan Blanchard (Chatham, Ont./Essex Kent Ice Bullets) also scored in the shootout for Canada.

The game was a battle of the goaltenders, with Canadian netminder Kris Dutkiewicz (Kitchener, Ont./Kitchener Sidewinders) and his U.S. counterpart, Kyle Huckaby, going save-for-save over the 45 minutes of regulation and five minutes of overtime.

Dutkiewicz was one save better, making 17 stops, while Huckaby finished with 16.

Blanchard got the shootout started for the Canadians, going right to left with a deke to beat Huckaby, and
Hickey made it two-for-two for Canada by roofing a backhand over the U.S. goaltender.

Both teams finished without a goal in two power play chances, with the Americans having a glorious opportunity to win the game late when Canada was penalized for too many players on the ice with just 63 seconds to go.

The second game of the series goes Friday at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT at the Extreme Ice Center, with the series finale set for Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET/7:30 a.m. PT.