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USA roll to Sled Cup victory
USA defeated Korea, 5-2, to claim the title at the inaugural USA Hockey Sled Cup in Indian Trail, North Carolina. 28 Jan 2013
USA's national ice sledge hockey team celebrating its victory 5-2 against Korea at the USA Hockey Sled Cup.
"We had to fight hard to win this game tonight because Korea gave it their all. We scored the goals and made the key plays in the game when necessary to get the victory."
USA’s national ice sledge hockey team won the inaugural USA Hockey Sled Cup on Saturday (26 January), going undefeated at the tournament and winning the championship game against Korea, 5-2, at the Extreme Ice Centre in Indian Trail, North Carolina.
In a rematch of the 2012 World Championship A Pool gold-medal game, Dan McCoy scored two goals to give the Americans another victory over the Koreans.
"It's always fun to win and to do so on home ice is exciting for all of us," USA national team head coach Jeff Sauer said.
"We had to fight hard to win this game tonight because Korea gave it their all. We scored the goals and made the key plays in the game when necessary to get the victory."
The Americans capitalised on their first power-play opportunity of the night at 3:21 of the first period, as Paul Schaus drove through the low slot with a defender on his hip, tipping a crossing pass from Greg Shaw into the net.
Midway through the second period the teams exchanged goals. USA took a 2-0 lead at 6:05 on a McCoy breakaway that was created by Kevin McKee's long pass from the Americans’ blue line. A minute and a half later, Korea’s Byeong-Seok Cho scored on a deflected point shot.
Nikko Landeros put USA ahead 3-1 with a power-play goal that he lofted in from the left circle at 9:17. At 5:20 of the third stanza, Korea cut USA’s lead to a single goal when star player Seung-Hwan Jung scored on a five-on-three advantage.
USA bounced back with a shorthanded marker just 47 seconds later on a score by Joshua Sweeney, and then McCoy locked up the win with another goal with just 2:29 remaining in the game.
American goaltender Steve Cash made 10 saves, while Korea's Mangyun Yu turned aside 18 shots.
In the tournament’s third-place game, Russia prevailed over USA’s national development team with a dominating 7-0 victory. Russian team captain Vadium Selyukin scored two of the team's goals.
Related Images
The Korea Sledge Hockey team surprised spectators during the 2012 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey A Pool World Championships in Hamar, Norway.
