USA stamp dominance in Ostrava

Paralympic champions USA came out with an incredible performance to dominate throughout and emerge the winner at the International Para Hockey Cup, that concluded last weekend.

In the gold-medal contest, USA thumped arch-rivals Canada 4-0 to stamp their dominance yet again, this time at Ostrava, Czech Republic.

USA captain Josh Pauls found the net first, scoring just outside the crease off a pass from Joseph Woodke about five minutes into the game for his fourth goal of the tournament. 

Star defender Jack Wallace later added to the scoreboard on the power play in the second stanza and forward Declan Farmer found the net twice in the final frame to put USA ahead.

Throughout the event, USA, also world champions, maintained their brilliant show outscoring their opponents and demonstrating why they are the world No. 1 team. 

Thrilling play-off

The four-team tournament at RT Torax Arena also included an International Para Hockey (IPH) team consisting of athletes from Germany, Norway and Slovakia that claimed the bronze medal with a 3-2 win against the hosts Czech Republic. 

In a tight bronze-medal contest, Slovakia’s Marian Ligda, Germany’s Bernhard Hering and Norway’s Audun Bakke all scored to help the International Para Hockey team pull off a thrilling win.

Slovakia were coached by Norway’s Espen Hedge, who just last month coached Team World to a bronze medal at the first-ever Para Ice Hockey Women’s World Challenge.

Defenders Radek Zelinka and Karel Wagner both scored for the Czechs in the game, still it wasn’t enough. 

Sweden triumph 

Last week, there were more action happening on the ice with Finland, Sweden and Norway fighting it out at the Nordic Challenge in Skien, Norway.

Sweden went undefeated, beating arch-rivals Norway 1-0 in the final, while they thumped Finland twice by 7-0 and 3-0 scores. 

The three-team tournament was the first of three events in the Nordic Para Ice Hockey Challenge series this season, with the other two events taking place in Enkoping, Sweden in October and Vierumaki, Finland in November.