U.S. Finishes Second at Hockey Canada Cup

VANCOUVER, B.C. - The U.S. Paralympics Sled Hockey National Team fell to Canada, 2-1, in a shootout  in the championship game of the 2009 Hockey Canada Cup at the UBC Thunderbird Arena. Jimmy Connelly (Galloway, N.J.) scored for Team USA, which finished the tournament with a 2-0-1-2 record (W-OTW-OTL-L).

"It was a phenomenal game," said Team USA Head Coach Ray Maluta. "I'm extremely proud of our team and [U.S. netminder] Steve Cash had one of the best games of his career. We played great and it was a huge step forward to play in the championship game and compete the way we did."

Canada's Graeme Murray opened the scoring at 7:46 of the first period, as the Canadians took an early 1-0 lead. The score held through to the third period when Connelly tied it up with a shot from the point that bounced off a Canadian player and into the net at 6:56.

After a 15-minute four-on-four sudden-death overtime session in which Steve Cash (Overland, Mo.) made seven saves in net for the U.S., the game remained knotted at 1-1 to force a shootout. The first four shooters from each team were stopped, then Adam Dixon used a deke to beat Cash and clinch the victory for Canada.

NOTES: Canada held a 23-15 shots advantage ... Team USA was 1-for-2 on the power play, while holding the Canadians scoreless on two man-advantage opportunities ... Andy Yohe (Bettendorf, Iowa) led Team USA with four points (3-1) in five games ... The 2009 Hockey Canada Cup featured Canada, Germany, Japan and the United States and took place at the UBC Thunderbird Arena, which is the slegde hockey venue for the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

First Period - Scoring: 1, CAN, Murray (Labonte, Nicholson), 7:46. Penalties: None.

Second Period - Scoring: None. Penalties: CAN, Bridges (elbowing), 4:13; USA, Connelly (elbowing), 13:49.

Third Period - Scoring: 2, USA, Connelly (Manns, Yohe), 6:56 (pp). Penalties: USA, Chace (interference), 2:05; CAN, Matheson (n/a), 6;31.

Overtime - Scoring: None. Penalties: None.

GWS - Round 1: CAN, Bowden (no goal); USA, Lipsett (no goal); CAN, Bridges (no goal); USA, Connelly (no goal); CAN, Dixon (no goal); USA, Manns (no goal). Round 2: USA, Chace (no goal); CAN, Bridges (no goal). Round 3: CAN, Dixon (goal); USA, Manns (no goal).

Power Play: USA 1-2; CAN 0-2
Penalties: USA 2-4; CAN 2-4

Tags: Andy Yohe, Hockey Canada Cup, James Connelly, Sled Hockey, Steven Cash