2016-17 National Sledge Team

CANADA DROPS OPENER OF SLEDGE DEVELOPMENT SERIES

JASON LA ROSE

MONTREAL, Que. – Adam Kingsmill (Smithers, B.C.) made nine saves, but Canada’s National Sledge Development Team couldn’t find its offence in a 6-0 loss to the United States on Friday night in the first of three games at the Défi sportif AlterGo.

The Americans scored three times in the first period and never looked back, holding Canada to just four shots on goal.

It took only 89 seconds for the scoring to start, with Josh Hargis beating Kingsmill on an unassisted effort for the eventual game-winning goal.

Nathan Bryant scored unassisted at 5:48 before Josh Misiewicz set up Ralph De Quebec with less than two minutes to go in the frame, sending the U.S. to the dressing room with a commanding lead.

Canada recorded its first shot in the second period, but Robert Easley added to the American advantage just past the midway point of the stanza, with an assist from Colin Gooley.

Two more goals early in the third period, from David Eustace and Bryant, with his second of the game, capped the scoring for the U.S.

The teams are back on the ice at Aréna Howie-Morenz on Saturday night (7 p.m. ET) before closing out the three-game set on Sunday morning (10:30 a.m. ET).

The Défi sportif AlterGo is an international event that brings together elite and up-coming athletes with all types of disabilities. Each year, more than 5,000 athletes from 20 countries compete during seven days in Montreal and on the South-Shore.