CANADAS NATIONAL SLEDGE TEAM WINS GOLD MEDAL AT 2011 WORLD SLEDGE HOCKEY CHALLENGE IN LONDON, ONT.
LONDON, Ont. Canadas National Sledge Team has won the gold medal at the 2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, shutting out Norway 8-0 on home ice Saturday night at the Western Fair Sports Centre.
Billy Bridges (Summerside, P.E.I.), Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.) and Greg Westlake (Oakville, Ont.) each scored two goals, while Bradley Bowden (Orton, Ont.) and Derek Whitson (Chatham, Ont.) contributed singles, and Corbin Watson (Kingsville, Ont.) earned the shutout en route to the gold medal win.
During the preliminary round, Canada defeated the United States 3-1, blanked Norway 14-0 and beat Japan 12-0 to finish atop the standings. The Canadians beat Japan 11-1 in Fridays semifinal.
Earlier Saturday, the United States defeated Japan 9-1 to take home the bronze medal, with Kevin McKee and Nikko Landeros both scoring two goals, while Adam Page, Daniel McCoy, Josh Pauls, Alexi Salamone and Greg Shaw all had a goal apiece.
Canadas National Sledge Team took silver at the 2009 World Sledge Hockey Challenge in Charlottetown, P.E.I., but won gold medals at the event in 2008, also in Charlottetown, and in 2007 in Kelowna, B.C.
The four teams that competed in London at the 2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge were also the top four finishers at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C.
For more information on Canadas National Sledge Team and the 2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/wshc.
