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Reasons to watch the World Para Ice Hockey Championships
A key qualifier for the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, Gangneung 2017 is the premier event for Para ice hockey fans this season. 30 Mar 2017
Canada won 3-0 over Norway at the 2016 World Sledge Hockey Challenge in Charlottetown, Canada.
All games from the 2017 World Para Ice Hockey Championships A-Pool in Gangneung, South Korea, are being shown live from 11-20 April.
Following the Opening Ceremony, the first of the ties will get underway on 12 April. Fans can enjoy three games per day during the round robin stages.
Here are just some of the reasons to follow the tournament at Gangneung2017.com.
Top teams advance to the Paralympic Winter Games
As well as playing for the coveted world title, the top five teams from the Worlds will qualify directly for PyeongChang 2018.
That means they can focus their preparations for the biggest stage of all without distractions over the summer and at the start of the Paralympic season.
Defending champions the USA, Canada, hosts South Korea, Sweden, Germany, Norway and Italy will have half an eye on the standings as they play for the podium.
Get a glimpse of the Gangneung Hockey Centre
Noted as a compact but impressive venue, the Gangneung Hockey Centre will host both Olympic and Paralympic Games competitions at PyeongChang 2018.
Gangneung 2017 is the Test Event for the Winter Paralympics, allowing everyone to get a taste of the atmosphere and set-up they can expect between 9-18 March 2018.
Long-standing rivalries
In one of ice hockey’s most enduring rivalries, the USA will play Canada in the round robin tournament on 17 April before any potential face-off in the medal matches. In 2015 the USA went unanswered in their gold medal game against Canada, winning 3-0 and recording a shut-out.
Germany and Norway have also met this season with the Germans surprising with their first win over Norway for almost 20 years. They will meet on 13 April.
Go time
With PyeongChang 2018 under one year away, time is running out for teams to decide their rosters should they qualify.
All players will be going for their best performances with the aim of impressing their coaches to be considered for a ticket to South Korea.
Live coverage and the game schedule of the 2017 World Para Ice Hockey Championships is available at Gangneung2017.com.
