2015-16 National Sledge Team

MCGREGOR AND COZZOLINO COMBINE FOR SEVEN GOALS; CANADA INTO TURIN FINAL

JASON LA ROSE

TURIN, Italy – Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.) scored four goals and set up three others, leading Canada’s National Sledge Team past Norway 10-0 on Friday and into the gold medal game at the International Ice Sledge Hockey Tournament.

The Canadians will face host Italy in Saturday’s final (4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT).

McGregor’s seven points give him 12 in two games against the Norwegians – he had two goals and three assists in an 8-0 victory to close out the preliminary round on Wednesday.

Dominic Cozzolino (Mississauga, Ont.) added a hat trick and two assists for Canada, and Billy Bridges (Summerside, P.E.I.) chipped in with a goal and five helpers; in all, the line combined for 18 points.

Greg Westlake (Oakville, Ont.) and Bryan Sholomicki (Winnipeg, Man.) scored the other Canadian goals.

Corbin Watson (Kingsville, Ont.) earned his first shutout of the tournament.

"We didn't have our best first period,” Cozzolino said after the game, “but we refocused during intermission and had strong second and third periods. We are looking forward to the final game tomorrow.”

McGregor and Bridges gave Canada a 2-0 lead after one period before a three-goals-in-58-seconds outburst blew the game wide open very early in the second; McGregor finished his hat trick with goals 11 seconds apart within the first 21 seconds of the middle frame, and Cozzolino made it 5-0 at 1:10.

Westlake converted on the power play midway through the period, and McGregor’s fourth of the game pushed the advantage to 7-0 after 30 minutes.

Cozzolino scored twice in 55 seconds to finish his hat trick midway through the third period, before Sholomicki’s buzzer-beater in the dying seconds got the Canadians to double digits.

“Our attitude is we just want to win and tonight we had a strong team effort,” said Canadian head coach Ken Babey. “Although he did not face many shots, Corbin Watson made some big saves early in the game that allowed our team to set the pace."

Canada has rolled through its opponents at the Palaghiaccio Tazzoli, outscoring them 31-1 thus far.