Milano Cortina 2026: Top Para ice hockey moments

Milano Cortina 2026 delivered a Para ice hockey tournament that felt like a turning point for the sport: dominant teams raising the bar yet again, emerging nations proving they belong in the medal conversation, and record-breaking crowds showing just how powerful the sport’s appeal has become. 

Across ten days, the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena produced moments to be remembered for a long time. Here are five of them:

New superlatives for USA

Milano Cortina 2026 became the stage where the United States cemented a dynasty unlike anything Para ice hockey has seen. 

The Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena hosted the most successful team to have ever played the game of ice hockey whether in Paralympic or Olympic Games, as Team USA claimed a fifth consecutive gold medal after the 6-2 win over Canada in a thrilling final. Despite the result, USA’s sixth overall Paralympic gold was all but certain until the end of the third period as Canada pushed hard for what would have been their second-ever title.

The United States have extended their unbeaten run to 16 games, following their five victories at the 2026 Games – with 46 goals scored, and only five against. The team also boasted the tournament’s MVP and Best Forward, Declan Farmer; and the Best Defender, Jack Wallace – responsible for a hat-trick in the gold medal game.

The Para ice hockey national team also completed a Milano Cortina 2026 title sweep for USA following the women’s and men’s Olympic hockey triumphs in February.

Congratulations to the @TeamUSA Paralympic Sled Hockey Team for winning gold! @usahockey is now 3 for 3 at the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

The NHL, @NHLPA and 32 Clubs are committed to supporting sled hockey in the U.S. and Canada. The first-ever ‘Reeve Hockey… pic.twitter.com/tMjAeTJ1D1

— NHL (@NHL) March 15, 2026

Josh Pauls

If only one team can claim to be a five-time back-to-back Paralympic champion, only one player can show all those five gold medals on its collection. USA captain Josh Pauls took part in all those wins: Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022 and Milano Cortina 2026.

Few athletes embody the spirit of Para ice hockey quite like Pauls, and the 2026 Winter Paralympics added another chapter to his remarkable legacy. As the heartbeat of Team USA, his leadership has shaped an entire generation of players, and his presence on the ice continues to define what excellence and longevity look like in the sport – and he is only 33! 

He was second only to MVP Farmer in the plus/minus ratings, and third in the defender scoring. Pauls provided seven assists in the tournament, one of the team in the final against Canada, to put the USA 4-1 ahead – and once again was there when it mattered the most.

China and Czechia challenges

Beyond the North American rivalry, Milano Cortina 2026 showcased how much the global competitive landscape has shifted. China and Czechia arrived not as outsiders but as genuine threats – disciplined, fast, and tactically sharp. Their clashes were among the most entertaining of the tournament, and their bronze-medal showdown captured the momentum of two programmes rising rapidly and reshaping expectations for the years ahead.

If USA vs Canada has been the long-lasting rivalry in Para ice hockey, China and Czechia have produced some of the most exciting matchups in the sport in recent years. The Czechs came to Milano Cortina 2026 eyeing their first podium finish following three World Para Ice Hockey Championships bronze medals – all of them against China. But China had other plans, as they came to Italy as the defending Paralympic bronze medallists from Beijing 2022. 

Both teams provided real challenges to USA and Canada and made their bronze medal clash a highly anticipated one. And they did not disappoint. Czechia took a 2-0 lead but China recovered into the first period – and came back in the third to take their second medal led by Milano Cortina 2026 assist leader Yifeng Shen (14 points, 13 assists) and scoring machine Jiang Tian (13 points, nine goals).

The Czechs brought a mixture of young talent and experience, with captain Radek Zelinka leading a strong defence in front of goaltender Patrick Sedlacek – named tournament’s Best Goalkeeper. 

We can only imagine what another four years can do to further reduce the gap towards the North American powerhouses at the French Alps 2030 Games. The future is bright for Para ice hockey.

BRONZE MEDAL GAME 🥉
China breaks the tie early in the third period and defeats Czechia (3-2) to capture its second Paralympic bronze medal!@paralympics @milanocortina26 pic.twitter.com/loIR3Y6ADY

— Para Ice Hockey (@paraicehockey) March 15, 2026

Italian crowds

The atmosphere inside the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena became one of the defining features of the Games. Italy embraced Para ice hockey with passion, turning every match – whether involving the hosts or not – into a celebration of speed, skill, and national pride. The record-breaking attendance figures were more than numbers; they were a statement about the sport’s growing resonance.

Milano Cortina 2026 broke twice the Paralympic attendance record. First on opening day with hosts Italy facing defending champions United States. A total of 8,992 fans came to the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Saturday 7 March – the previous record of 8,462 fans was 24 years old, from the Salt Lake City 2002 gold-medal game.

Then eight days later, a sold-out arena with 11,500 watched USA take gold against Canada setting a new mark for, at least, the next four years – and showing once again Para ice hockey’s strong potential to attract audiences.

The impressive tifosi also helped push the hosts in their fifth-place finish campaign. Despite defeats in their first two games, Italy got their fans behind the team to celebrate three consecutive wins against Germany, twice, and Japan.

Amazing Akari

Milano Cortina 2026 also carried symbolic weight for the future of women’s Para ice hockey. Japan’s Akari Fukunishi’s appearance was brief but deeply meaningful, representing both the progress already made and the work still ahead to secure full inclusion. Her presence on the ice – and the support she received from fellow trailblazers in the stands – became one of the tournament’s most inspiring moments.

Milano Cortina 2026 marked the fourth time a female Para ice player took part in the Paralympic Winter Games. Fukunishi came on ice in the game against Canada and helped bring attention to women’s Para ice hockey quest for inclusion in the competition programme in future Games.

A member of Team World in the first edition of the Women’s World Championships in Dolny Kubin, Slovakia, last year, she said she hopes to make a return to the Games representing the Japanese women’s national team.

In the stands in Milano, Fukunishi had special support from other players who competed at Dolny Kubin 2025, World Para Ice Hockey Athletes’ Committee representatives Peggy Assinck (Canada), Stacey Quirk (Great Britain) and Erica McKee (USA).