COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The U.S. National Sled Hockey Team will open tournament play in the 2017 International Paralympic Committee Sled Hockey World Championship in Gangneung, South Korea, against Sweden on April 13, it was announced today by the IPC. The tournament, which will feature seven days of round-robin play before concluding with medal games on April 20, will take place at the Gangneung Hockey Center and be streamed live at Gangneung2017.com.
Team USA, the tournament’s defending champion, seeks to claim back-to-back gold medals in the event for the second time (2009, 2012).
U.S. 2017 IPC Sled Hockey World Championship Schedule
Date Opponent Time (ET)/Local
Thurs., April 13 Sweden 10 p.m./11 a.m.
Fri., April 14 Italy 10 p.m./11 a.m.
Sat., April 15 Germany 2 a.m./3 p.m.
Mon., April 17 Canada 2 a.m./3 p.m.
Tues., April 18 Norway 10 p.m./11 a.m.
Wed., April 19 Korea 2 a.m./3 p.m.
Thurs., April 20 Fifth-Place Game 10 p.m./11 a.m.
Bronze-Medal Game 2 a.m./3 p.m.
Gold-Medal Game 6 a.m./7 p.m.
Guy Gosselin (Grafton, Wis.) will make his international head coaching debut with Team USA at the world championship. Gosselin, who worked alongside former Head Coach Jeff Sauer (Madison, Wis.) from 2011-15, helped guide Team USA to gold medals at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia and the 2012 IPC Sled Hockey World Championship in Hamar, Norway, as well as a silver medal at the 2013 IPC Sled Hockey World Championship in Goyang, South Korea.
Among the 17 players representing Team USA, 12 were members of the U.S. squad that claimed the gold medal on home ice at the 2015 IPC Sled Hockey World Championship in Buffalo, New York. Key returnees include defenseman Josh Pauls (Green Brook, N.J.), who received the Directorate Award for Best Defenseman of the tournament; forward Adam Page (Lancaster, N.Y.), whose 11 points (5-6) at the 2015 event set a new Team USA record for most points in a world championship; forward Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.), who tied former Team USA member Taylor Lipsett (Mesquite, Texas) for most goals in a single world championship by a U.S. player with six; and goaltender Steve Cash (Overland, Mo.), who set Team USA records in goals against average (0.27), save percentage (.970) and shutouts (4). For the complete 2016-17 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team roster, click here.
NOTES: Labatt USA is a proud sponsor of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team … Team USA is training in Santa Barbara, California, this weekend (March 23-25). For complete camp schedule, click here … For the complete 2017 IPC Sled Hockey World Championship, click here … The 2017 IPC Sled Hockey World Championship is doubling as a test event for the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games and the top five teams will automatically qualify for the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. … Many members of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team will participate in the 2017 USA Hockey Disabled Festival from April 6-9 at Solar4America Ice in San Jose, California. For more information, click here … The United States enters the 2017 IPC Sled Hockey World Championship as defending champion and winners of six straight major international tournaments, including the 2016 (Dec.) World Sled Hockey Challenge in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; the 2016 IPC Pan-Pacific Championship in Buffalo, New York; the 2016 (Jan.) World Sled Hockey Challenge in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia; the 2015 IPC Sled Hockey World Championship in Buffalo, New York; the 2015 World Sled Hockey Challenge in Leduc, Alberta; and the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia … Dan Brennan (Colorado Springs, Colo.), director of inline and sled hockey for USA Hockey, returns as the general manager of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. Joining national team head coach Guy Gosselin (Grafton, Wis.) behind the bench is assistant coach David Hoff (Bottineau, N.D.), who is in his first season with the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. Additional team staff members include athletic trainer Mike Cortese (Boynton Beach, Fla.), equipment manager Joel Isaacson (Houghton, Mich.), and team physician Mike Uihlein (Grafton, Wis.). Cortese, Isaacson, and Uihlein have been staff members for the past four seasons.
