Para Worlds Recap – Canada 5 Czechia 0

Dominic Cozzolino and James Dunn each score twice and Canada will play for gold after shutting out Czechia.

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MOOSE JAW, Saskatchewan – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will face the United States in the gold medal game following a 5-0 shutout of Czechia on Saturday night at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.

• James Dunn (Wallacetown, Ont.) had a pair of goals, scoring them 18 seconds apart in the first period.
• Dominic Cozzolino (Mississauga, Ont.) also scored a pair of goals.
• Zach Lavin (Essex, Ont.) added Canada’s other goal.
• Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.) added two first period assists to give him 250 career points with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team. He finished with three assists in the game.
• Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.) chipped in with a pair of helpers.
• Auren Halbert (Calgary, Alta.) also added an assist.
• Dominic Larocque (Quebec City, Que.) stopped all 11 shots.
• Canada outshot Czechia 24-11. 

Next Game:

Canada vs. United States – Sunday, June 4 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT)

All games from the 2023 World Para Hockey Championship are available via livestream at HockeyCanada.ca.  

Quotes:

“The start by our first line was big and it started the game well for us. We had the momentum early, but we also had to battle through and get back to our defensive structure for the win. Even with a few moments where we lost our touch, we’re a young group and I like the path that we’re on. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. Tonight, we’ll get our rest, flip the page and get excited for the next game.”

• Lavin on the team’s performance

“I think we just played the way we wanted to: playing defensively which led to offence early on. We continued that throughout the game and it worked well for us. They’re a very physical and strong team, we knew that and we just adapted well to it. I think getting pucks deep and getting on the offensive attack really helped us.”

• Dunn on withstanding the physicality and play of Czechia

“It’s going to require the same of what it required tonight—our best version. The difference is our best version has to be better than today’s, which had to be better than Wednesday (when we played the U.S.). They’re the best team in the world and if you want to become the best you have to beat the best, so we’re looking forward to the opportunity. We also have to go into the game with some belief because there have been lots of games we have played [against] them and we don’t. They are a great team and we appreciate how good that forces us to be. I think that we have the belief that we can hang in long enough and take advantage of a raucous crowd to push us over the hump we haven’t gotten over in quite awhile.”

-           Head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, Ont.) on facing the United States for gold

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