2015 World Sledge Hockey Challenge

U.S. SCORES EARLY AND OFTEN, ROUTS KOREA AT WSHC

JASON LA ROSE

LEDUC, Alta. – Kevin McKee opened the scoring just 22 seconds in and the United States’ offence rolled from there as the Americans hammered Korea 8-1 on Monday afternoon at the 2015 World Sledge Hockey Challenge.

The U.S. stayed perfect and set up a potential first-place showdown with Canada on Wednesday night.

Brody Roybal and Josh Pauls scored two goals apiece for the Americans, and Adam Page, Declan Farmer and Daniel McCoy did the rest of the offensive damage.

Pauls finished with two goals and an assist, while McKee and Farmer had a goal and two helpers each.

Ju-Seung Lee scored the Koreans’ first goal of the tournament on a third-period power play.

McKee didn’t take long to get the U.S. on the board, taking a cross-ice feed from Farmer, corralling a bouncing puck and beating a sprawling Man-Gyun Yu just seconds after the opening face-off.

Roybal doubled the lead at 9:08 of the first, snapping a shot past Yu on an American power play, and made it 3-0 at 3:17 of the second, going to the left hand from in close to beat the Korean netminder.

The U.S. advantage was four after two periods thanks to Page, who was left alone in the slot to beat Yu.

Pauls took over early in the third; the American veteran raced into the Korean zone and snuck a quick shot under Yu just 21 seconds into the final frame, and lofted a shot from the blue-line that eluded the netminder only 52 seconds later.

Lee broke the U.S. shutout bid at 3:52, roofing a shot over Kyle Huckaby, who had replaced Steve Cash in the American goal late in the second period.

But the U.S. added two more late; Farmer banged in a rebound at 8:00, and McCoy converted a power play opportunity with just 1:57 left to round out the scoring.

The Americans controlled the play from start to finish, holding Korea to only seven shots on goal.

An all-North American showdown is next for the U.S., which faces Canada on Wednesday night (7 p.m. MT), while the Koreans will take on Russia that afternoon in their preliminary round finale (noon MT).