CALGARY, Alta. - Canada’s National Sledge Team will play in the International Ice Sledge Hockey Tournament in Turin, Italy, Dec. 7-12 at the Palaghiaccio Tazzoli. In total, 19 players will represent Canada for the first international competition of the season. Canada's National Sledge Team roster includes two goaltenders, six defencemen and 11 forwards.
Oakville, Ont., native Greg Westlake has been named team captain, while Steve Arsenault (Spruce Grove, Alta.) and Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.) will serve as alternate captains.
Canada’s National Sledge Team will face Korea in a pre-tournament game on Saturday (1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT) before it opens the tournament on Monday, Dec. 7 against the Koreans (4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT). On the following day, Canada faces host team Italy (4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT) before ending the preliminary round on Wednesday, Dec. 9 against Norway (9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT).
The top team in preliminary round will play against the fourth-place team in one semifinal, and the second-place team will face the third-place team in the other semifinal. Both games are scheduled for Friday, Dec. 11.
The gold-medal and bronze-medal games will be played on Sat. Dec. 12 at 4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT and 7 a.m. ET/4 a.m. PT, respectively.
Fans will be able to watch live games through an Italian website (only in Italian for now).
“Any tournament where you are representing your country is special, and the players are looking forward to this opportunity to play for Team Canada and wear the maple leaf,” said Ken Babey, head coach of Canada’s National Sledge Team. “This is our first international event of the season, and it gives us a great opportunity to prepare to play on home ice at the 2016 World Sledge Hockey Challenge in Nova Scotia next month.”
Canada opens the 2016 World Sledge Hockey Challenge against Russia at 5 p.m. AT on Sunday, Jan. 17. The Canadians also play Korea at 7 p.m. AT on Monday, Jan. 18, and the United States at 7 p.m. AT on Wednesday, Jan. 20 in preliminary-round action.
Ticket packages are now available for $50, providing admission to the six preliminary-round games, as well as both semifinals, and the bronze-medal and the gold-medal games. Please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/tickets or CLICK HERE for ticket information, including how to purchase.
For more information on Canada’s National Sledge Team and the 2016 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca and www.hockeycanada.ca/wshc, or follow along via social media at www.facebook.com/hcsledge, www.twitter.com/hc_sledge, www.facebook.com/worldsledge and www.twitter.com/hc_wshc.