COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The International Paralympic Committee has named the 2014 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team the winner of Best Team Award at the 2015 Paralympic Sport Awards this evening in Mexico City.
The Paralympic Sport Awards recognizes achievements from the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.
“The award is an incredible accomplishment,” said Dan Brennan, general manager of the 2014 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team. “I know our team and its staff will celebrate not only with one another but also with all the incredible volunteer youth coaches within USA Hockey that dedicate so much time to developing our great sport.”
“As a team, we’d like to thank USA Hockey, U.S. Paralympics and all of the Paralympic sponsors for their support,” said Andy Yohe (Davenport, Iowa), captain of the 2014 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team. “USA Hockey put together the perfect staff who did a great job of putting the right group of players together that wanted to work hard everyday to be the best hockey team in the world. It was a true honor for all of us to play in Sochi with amazing crowds and even better T.V. viewership. Again, ‘thank you’ from the entire team.”
The U.S. became the first nation to win back-to-back Paralympic gold medals in sled hockey by defeating Russia, 1-0, in the gold-medal game on March 15, 2014. Josh Sweeney (Portland, Ore.) scored the game-winning goal and Steve Cash (Overland, Mo.) earned the shutout with six saves. Overall, the U.S. posted preliminary round wins over Italy (5-1) and South Korea (3-0), plus a semifinal triumph against Canada (3-0). Team USA avenged its only loss, a 2-1 setback versus Russia in the preliminary round, by topping the host country in the gold-medal rematch.
NOTES: The 2014 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team was also recognized as the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Team of the Month for March 2014 and Team of the Paralympic Games at the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Best of U.S. Awards Show … The PBS documentary “Ice Warriors: USA Sled Hockey” documents the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team’s journey to the gold medal and can be viewed here.
