2017 World Sledge Hockey Challenge

U.S. BEATS ITALY, ADVANCES TO WSHC FINAL

JASON LA ROSE

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Adam Page scored a pair of goals, sending the United States to the gold medal game at the 2017 World Sledge Hockey Challenge after a 5-1 semifinal win over Italy on Thursday afternoon.

The Americans are into the final for the seventh consecutive time at the tournament; they will face the winner of the Canada-Korea semifinal on Saturday (4 p.m. AT) in search of their fourth-straight gold.

Declan Farmer added a goal and two assists for the U.S., giving him 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in four games. The 20-year-old is on pace to lead the tournament in scoring for the fourth year in a row.

Back on the ice just 15 hours after beating Canada to close out the preliminary round, the U.S. took an early lead when Brody Roybal went end to end before tucking the 1-0 goal around goaltender Gabriele Araudo just 1:12 in.

Josh Misiewicz doubled the lead late in the opening frame, finding a rebound in the slot and beating Araudo to the glove side to send the Americans to the dressing room up by a pair after 15 minutes.

Page struck twice in the second period to put the U.S. in full control.

His first goal came 2:17 into the middle frame on a harmless-looking centering pass from the corner that banked off Araudo and in, and he added a second less than five minutes later when he tapped in a short feed from Farmer.

Sandro Kalegaris got one back for Italy five minutes into the third period, playing give-and-go with Gianluigi Rosa before roofing a shot past U.S. netminder Jen Lee.

Farmer capped the scoring at 8:43 of the final stanza, one-timing in a pass from Roybal.

The Italians will meet the loser of the Canada-Korea semi in the bronze medal game Saturday (1 p.m. AT).