TV: CBC | Stream: CBC.ca

Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team opens the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games with the most heated rivalry in the game – Canada versus the United States. These teams have met in the last two IPC World Para Hockey Championship gold medal games and played in a thrilling extra-time final at the 2018 Paralympics. The U.S. is the three-time defending Paralympic gold medallist, while Canada’s only title came in 2006.

LAST GAME

In another COVID-ravaged season, neither of these teams have had much game play this year. Canada last saw action in the finale of a four-game series against South Korea in November in Bridgewater, N.S. In that game, Billy Bridges had a hat trick and Anton Jacobs-Webb earned four assists in an 11-0 win. Canada finished that series with four wins, outscoring the Koreans 31-1.

For the U.S., it’s been even longer without a game. It last saw competitive action in at the end of October 2021 in a two-game series against the Canadians in St. Louis. The Americans took the finale 4-1, getting goals from four different players and a pair of assists from Declan Farmer.

LAST MEETING

As mentioned above, the teams last met in St. Louis just over three months ago; Canada took the opener by a 4-2 count thanks to two-point efforts from Liam Hickey and Zach Lavin before the U.S. won the finale.

WHAT TO WATCH

The Canadians have seven Paralympic rookies on the roster, while the three most veteran players boast 15 Games appearances between them (Billy Bridges – 6, Greg Westlake – 5, Adam Dixon – 4). Opening up with what should be a physical matchup in the biggest game of the prelims is a sure-fire way of getting the nerves out in a real hurry.

For the U.S., the biggest question mark comes in goal; Steve Cash, a three-time Paralympic gold medallist and two-time world champion, announced his surprise retirement just days before the Canada-U.S. series last fall. That leaves long-time backup Jen Lee as the new No. 1. He played both games in the St. Louis series, stopping 14 of 18 shots, but Beijing will be a bigger challenge.

A LOOK BACK

It’s the 106th meeting between the North American rivals and the fifth time on the sport’s biggest stage.

Canada has yet to defeat the U.S. at the Paralympics, going 0-3-1 with the tie dating back to 1998. The last meeting, four years ago in PyeongChang, is the one remembered the most; the Canadians were 48 seconds from their first Paralympic title since 2006 before Declan Farmer tied the game and then won it in overtime, leaving Canada with a 2-1 loss and a silver medal.

The Canadians and Americans have also met in each of the last five world championship finals. Canada’s most recent world title came in 2017, when Tyler McGregor scored twice and Brad Bowden added a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win in Gangneung, South Korea.

All-time record: Canada leads 59-45-1
Canada goals: 223
United States goals: 184