2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge Preview

A few Canadian players listen to the National Anthem at the
MasterCard Centre in Toronto in an exhibition series
with the United States in October 2010

A month after winning the silver medal at the Japan Para Ice Sledge Hockey Championships in Nagano, Canada embarks on another gold medal journey at the 2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge.

The top four finishers from the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games – Canada, Japan, Norway and the United States are gathering in London, Ont. at the Western Fair Sports Centre from April 18-23 for the last international tournament of the 2010-11 season.

Japan was a unique event marked by the destructive earthquake and tsunami that struck the country right in the middle of Canada’s game against the United States.

Organizers were forced to eliminate the gold medal and third-place games for a shortened round robin schedule.

Members of the Canada’s National Sledge Team took only a few days to rest after Japan, but quickly went back to daily training and weekly ice sessions. After a tough fourth place in Vancouver and the recent silver medal, the team is hungry for Gold.

Especially because the fourth edition of the WSHC is held for the first time in Ontario and there are no IPC World Championships this year. It means Canada will play in a packed house.

“I feel that there is always pressure representing your country, especially in hockey,” said forward Bradley Bowden, who plays on the national team since 1999.

“We always want to win, but we always love playing in front of a home crowd, so it will be more fun than pressure.”

Canada won gold at the 2007 WSHC in Kelowna, BC and in Charlottetown, PEI in 2008 before settling for silver at the 2009 edition in Charlottetown.

A New Look

Seven veterans including former captain Jean Labonté and goaltender Paul Rosen retired after the 2010 Paralympic Games, changing the look of the 16-man roster for the following season.

Now, equally merged with young veterans and rookies as well as new coaching staff, the national team is putting its focus on the development of skills and team spirit for the road to SOCHI 2014.

After a season of building and growing, Canada is ready for its most important tournament of the year in London.

Having lost by one goal against Norway in Japan and at the 2010 Paralympics, Canada will have to get past large and skilled players to make the journey to semi-finals and finals.

“We will continue to do what we are doing. We know that we can win against them [Norway] and we have to continue to play the way we are able to,” goaltender Benoit St-Amand said.

All games at the 2011 WSCH will be available to watch on FASTHockey for $7.00 per game while the gold medal game on April 23 will be broadcasted on TSN2 and RDS.