OSTRAVA, Czechia – Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) scored twice and tallied an assist, while Jack Wallace (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) and Josh Pauls (Green Brook, N.J.) each added a goal, to help the U.S. National Sled Team to a 4-0 victory over Canada here today in the International Para Hockey Cup championship game at RT Torax Arena.
“It’s a great tournament win for us and real nice way to start the season,” said David Hoff (Bottineau, N.D.), head coach of the U.S. National Sled Team. “I thought we played a real solid game from start to finish. Czechia put on a great event and we’re thrilled to win the IPH Cup.”
Canada had a breakaway chance just over four minutes into the contest, but U.S. goaltender Griffin LaMarre (Haverhill, Mass.) made a diving stop to keep the game scoreless. Pauls opened the scoring, tallying the only goal of the period, as he batted home a one-timer just outside the crease off a pass from Joseph Woodke (Nashville, Tenn.) at 9:38.
While the second period included limited scoring chances for both teams, Farmer nearly extended the U.S. lead early in the middle frame as he fired a high shot that ricocheted off the corner of the post but stayed out of the net. Shortly after, the U.S. killed off a pair of penalties, and late in the period, Team USA extended its lead while on the power play when Wallace capitalized after a feed from Farmer found him cutting towards the goal.
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Farmer put the U.S. up by three 4:23 into the third after he collected a rebound in the high slot off a shot from Malik Jones (Aurora, Colo.) and then moved in alone after stickhandling past a defender. Farmer added an empty net goal -- redirecting a pass in the neutral zone after Noah Grove (Frederick, Md.) sent a stretch pass out of the defensive zone -- to account for the 4-0 final.
LaMarre played all 45:00 for the U.S. to earn his fifth win of the tournament.
NOTES: Jack Wallace was named U.S. Player of the Game … The U.S. outshot Canada 24-3 … The U.S. was 1-7 on the power play, while Canada was 0-5 … Team USA finished with a perfect 5-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record in the inaugural IPH Cup and outscored its opponents by a combined 41-4.