Three questions for: The USA’s Brody Roybal

With the first games of the international ice sledge hockey season approaching, the US forward answers three questions about the sport. 21 Nov 2015
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Brody Roybal

The USA's Brody Roybal celebrates after scoring his team's first goal in their game against Russia.

ⒸBill Wippert
By Stuart Lieberman | for the IPC

The USA’s Brody Roybal is currently gearing-up for the start of the international season by playing for the Chicago Blackhawks in the US Hockey Sled Classic in Coral Springs, Florida.

The forward collected two goals in five games in his Paralympic debut with the US national team, and at last year’s Sled Classic finished second to Declan Farmer among all scorers with 18 points (14 goals, 4 assists).

At the 2015 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships in Buffalo, USA, Roybal helped the US claim gold, finishing second on the team with nine points in five games.

Paralympic.org caught up with Roybal and asked him three pertinent questions about his game.

Who do you think are the top five sledge hockey players in the world right now?

1. Steve Cash (USA)

2. Brad Bowden (Canada)

3. Josh Pauls (USA)

4. Seung-Hwan Jung (South Korea)

5. Declan Farmer (USA)

Which player do you enjoy facing the most?

Canada’s 19-year-old forward Ben Delaney because we are not extremely fond of each other and like to play a chippy back-and-forth game.

Which NHL player do you like to model your game after?

I was once compared to Winnipeg defenseman Dustin Byfuglien because he likes to hit, and play fast and aggressive.

The USA will play in the 2016 World Sledge Hockey Challenge from 17-23 January at the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre in Bridgewater, Canada.

The first international games of the 2015-16 ice sledge hockey season will take place in Torino, Italy, between 7-12 December. Canada, South Korea, Norway and Italy will face-off.