2016-17 National Sledge Team

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2017 IPC World Para Hockey Championship
Game #5
Preliminary
Final
April 13, 2017 2:00 am EDT
Gangneung Hockey Centre
Gangneung, KOR

Scoring

Teams
1st
2nd
3rd
Final
Teams
1
2
3
F
0
0
0
0
4
0
3
7

Shots on Goal

1st
2nd
3rd
Final
1
2
3
F
0
0
2
2
11
7
9
27

Statistics

PP
PIM
0 / 2
6
0 / 2
6

Game Story

EXPERIENCE AND YOUTH HELP CANADA TO SLEDGE WORLDS WIN

JASON LA ROSE

GANGNEUNG, South Korea – Billy Bridges (Summerside, P.E.I.) and Liam Hickey (St. John’s, N.L.) finished with two goals and two assists apiece, leading Canada’s National Sledge Team to its second win in as many days at the 2017 IPC World Para Hockey Championship, 7-0 over Italy on Thursday.

The Canadians have been absolutely dominant in their first two games; they have outscored Norway and Italy by a combined 16-0, and allowed only five shots on goal total.

Bridges, the fourth-oldest player on the Canadian roster, and Hickey, the second-youngest, did the damage against the Italians; the Atlantic Canada natives seemingly played keep-away for most of the game, and combined for two of the prettiest goals of the tournament.

Greg Westlake (Oakville, Ont.) added two goals for Canada, his second-straight multi-goal performance, and Corbyn Smith (Monkton, Ont.) had one. Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.) chipped in with three assists.

Just as they did in their opening win over Norway, the Canadians took control with a dominant first period.

Bridges got the festivities started just past the two-minute mark, driving to the net and beating Italian goaltender Santino Stillitano to the far side, and Westlake found room on the short-side to double the lead at 4:41.

Smith cleaned up the rebound of a Westlake shot to make it a 3-0 game at 12:50, and Bridges toe-dragged around a defender before feeding Hickey for the 4-0 goal with 36 seconds left in the opening frame.

Canada owned the puck in the first 15 minutes, outshooting Italy 11-0.

Gabriele Araudo replaced Stillitano to start the second period, and the move seemed to spark the Italian defence; Canada managed just four shots in a scoreless stanza, although the Europeans still couldn’t manage one.

Canadian goaltender Corbin Watson (Kingsville, Ont.) finally faced his first shot two minutes into the third period. He needed to make just two saves in all to record his 25th career shutout, tying Paul Rosen for the most in Team Canada history.

Bridges finally got a puck past Arauto 1:44 into the final period, crashing the net to bury a feed from Hickey, and Hickey finished off a picture-perfect give-and-go with Bridges to push the lead to 6-0 at 4:35.

Westlake converted the Canadian touchdown with less than seven minutes left, going to the left hand to wire a shot past Arauto.

The Canadians are back to action Friday (2 a.m. ET/11 p.m. PT) at the Gangneung Hockey Centre, facing off against Sweden in the third of six preliminary-round games.

Play by Play

Team
Description
Time
1st Period
GOAL
Goal: Billy Bridges

Assists: Liam Hickey, Tyrone Henry
02:17
GOAL
Goal: Greg Westlake

Assists: Adam Dixon
04:41
PENALTY
Penalty: Florian Planker
Interference (2:00)
08:40
GOAL
Goal: Corbyn Smith

Assists: Greg Westlake, Dominic Cozzolino
12:50
GOAL
Goal: Liam Hickey

Assists: Billy Bridges, Tyrone Henry
14:36
2nd Period
GOALTENDER CHANGE
Goaltender Change: Gabriele Araudo

00:00
PENALTY
Penalty: Andrea Macri
Roughing (2:00)
06:05
PENALTY
Penalty: Adam Dixon
Roughing (2:00)
06:05
3rd Period
GOAL
Goal: Billy Bridges

Assists: Liam Hickey, Adam Dixon
01:44
GOAL
Goal: Liam Hickey

Assists: Billy Bridges, Adam Dixon
04:35
PENALTY
Penalty: Greg Westlake
Slashing (2:00)
08:03
GOAL
Goal: Greg Westlake

Assists: Dominic Cozzolino
08:03
PENALTY
Penalty: Bruno Balossetti
Hooking (2:00)
11:37
PENALTY
Penalty: Dominic Cozzolino
Interference (2:00)
14:59

Goaltenders

Name Team Mins Shots Saves GA SV%
Santino Stillitano ITA 15 11 7 4 0.636
Gabriele Araudo ITA 30 16 13 3 0.813
Corbin Watson CAN 45 2 2 0 1.000

Game Leaders

GA 4 - SV - 7 - SAV% - 0.636
GA 0 - SV - 2 - SAV% - 1.000
Goals 2 - Assists 2 - Points 4
G 2 - A 2 - P 4
Goals 2 - Assists 2 - Points 4
G 2 - A 2 - P 4

Previous Games

4 - 0 W v SwedenSWE
Apr 19, 2017
4 - 1 W @ United States USA
Apr 20, 2017
0 - 1 L @ NorwayNOR
Apr 19, 2017
9 - 0 W v GermanyGER
Apr 18, 2017
3 - 2 W v KoreaKOR
Apr 18, 2017
1 - 2 L @ United States USA
Apr 17, 2017
Videos
Photos
2016-17 NMT: CAN 5 – HCL 2 (Championship)
Three second-period goals helped Canada to its 14th Spengler Cup.
2016-17 NMT: CAN 3 – MIN 2 (Semifinal)
Marc-Antoine Pouliot had three points, and Canada advanced to the Spengler Cup championship game.
2016-17 NMT: CAN 5 – MHK 1 (Quarter-Final)
Raymond, Gormley and Ebbett had 1G 2A each, and Canada advanced.
2016-17 NMT - CAN 4 – HCD 3 (Preliminary)
Ebbett scored the winner, and Canada edged the Spengler Cup hosts.
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Credit