2016 World Sledge Hockey Challenge

U.S. BEATS KOREA TO ADVANCE TO GOLD MEDAL GAME

WENDY GRAVES

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Twelve different players got on the scoresheet as the United States beat Korea 8-1 and advanced to the gold medal game of the 2016 World Sledge Hockey Challenge.

It’s the sixth straight time the Americans will play in the tournament’s final game. The team is the two-time defending gold medallist.

Luke McDermott and Declan Farmer led the way with a goal and two assists each.

The United States opened the scoring just shy of the four-minute mark of the first period. Kevin McKee held the puck on a two-on-one before a last-second pass to Brody Roybal resulted in a one-timer into the back of the net.

And with just under four minutes remaining in the period, Adam Page went right stick to left and top shelf for a power play marker.

The United States scored five more times in the second.

Only 49 seconds in Josh Pauls snuck into the slot and one-timed a pass from Farmer on the power play.

Three minutes later, on another power play, McDermott roofed it from the slot. And 2:40 after that Farmer did the same from the left face-off circle.

After a shot from Nikko Landeros went off goaltender Jae-Woong Lee and in, Oh-Song Kwon took over in net for the Koreans.

Roman made it 7-0 when he made like he was going around the net and instead tucked the puck in short side.

The team registered 16 shots on net in the frame, tied for second-most all time for one period.

Ten minutes into the third period Paul Schaus slid in a pass from Tyler Carron to make it 8-0.

Korea broke up Steve Cash’s shutout bid with 2:12 left in the game. After Cash stopped a one-timer in close, Ju-Seung Lee had an open net to deposit the loose puck into.

Shots on net favoured the United States 28-6.

The United States will play the winner of the Canada-Norway semifinal in Saturday’s gold medal game (4 p.m. AT), while Korea meets the loser in the bronze medal game (12 p.m. AT).