BUFFALO, N.Y. — Adam Page (Lancaster, N.Y.) and Paul Schaus (Buffalo, N.Y.) combined for five points, including three goals and two assists, to pace the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team to a 8-0 victory over Korea here tonight at the 2016 IPC Sled Hockey Pan-Pacific Championship.
With the victory, the U.S. advances to tomorrow’s (April 2) championship game where it will face Canada at 5 p.m. ET. The contest will be streamed live at paralympic.org/buffalo-2016.
“This was a real team win and I’m pleased to see us get back to our style of play,” said Jeff Sauer, head coach of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. “It’s important that we carry this level of play and momentum into tomorrow’s championship game.”
After Nikko Landeros (Johnstown, Colo.) opened the scoring for the U.S. midway through the first period with a power play goal from the slot, the U.S. began a six-goal second period with three goals in the first three minutes, including two by Page.
Page tallied his first of the night when he found Josh Pauls’ (Green Brook, N.J.) rebound in the slot and fired the puck under the crossbar just 1:01 into the stanza. Less than two minutes later Page scored again on a one-timer from the slot after a feed from Josh Sweeney (Portland, Ore.). Luke McDermott (Westerlo, N.Y.) recorded his first goal as a member of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team :29 later when he chased down a loose puck and fired a right-handed wrist into the upper corner of the net to make it 4-0.
Just more than four minutes later, Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) picked up the puck and skated by Korea’s defense for a breakaway goal. Farmer’s tally was his 11th of the season, tying him with former national team members Taylor Lipsett (Mesquite, Texas) and Alexi Salamone (Buffalo, N.Y.) for most goals by a U.S. player in a single season.
Brody Roybal (Northlake, Ill.) gave the U.S. a 6-0 lead when he took a pass from Tyler Carron (Fort Collins, Colo.) and beat Korea’s Jaewoong Lee. Schaus tapped home a pass from Page with :26 remaining in the second period to increase the U.S. lead to 7-0.
Pauls slid home a power play goal at 8:49 of the third period to account for the 8-0 final.
Steve Cash (Overland, Mo.) started in goal for Team USA and did not face a shot in 18:58 of action. Bo Reichenbach (Billings. Mont.) played the final 26:02 and stopped three shots.
NOTES: Adam Page was named the U.S. Player of the Game … Page’s two goals in the game gave him 38 in his career, surpassing former national team member Taylor Lipsett (Mesquite, Texas) for most goals by a U.S. player since 2007 … The U.S. outshot Korea, 31-3. Team USA was 2-for-4 on the power play and killed all three Korea power plays. For the complete boxscore, click here … To get additional information on the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team, click here … Follow all U.S. games during the IPC Sled Hockey Pan-Pacific Championship via Twitter by using @USAHockey and @USAHockeyScores, and join the conversation by using the hashtag #Buffalo2016 … Dan Brennan (Colorado Springs, Colo.), director of sled and inline national teams for USA Hockey, is serving as the general manager of the 2016 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team … Jeff Sauer (Madison, Wis.), former men’s ice hockey head coach at the University of Wisconsin, is in his fifth season as head coach of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. Additional staff members include team physician Mike Uihlein (Grafton, Wis.), athletic trainer Mike Cortese (Boynton Beach, Fla.) and equipment manager Joel Isaacson (Houghton, Mich.).
2016 IPC Sled Hockey Pan-Pacific Championship • Team USA Schedule
March 29-April 2 • Buffalo, New York • HARBORCENTER
Date Opponent Result
Tue., March 29 Team Pan-Pacific W, 8-0
Wed., March 30 Canada L, 1-2
Fri., Apr. 1 Korea W, 8-0
Sat., Apr. 2 Championship Game 5:00 p.m.
