MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Hockey Canada will host the 2023 World Para Ice Hockey Championship from May 28 to June 4 in Moose Jaw, Sask., marking the first time a major international para hockey event has been played in Canada since the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, and the first world championship for Canada’s National Para Hockey Team as the host team.

Canada will be joined by Czechia, Korea and the United States in Group A, with the top two teams earning a bye to the semifinals and the bottom two seeds advancing to the quarterfinals. In Group B, China, Germany, Italy and Norway will compete for the remaining two quarterfinal spots.

The preliminary-round schedule is highlighted by the first game of the tournament between Czechia and Korea at 11 a.m. MT, Canada’s first game on May 29 at 7 p.m. MT against Korea, and a rematch of the gold medal game at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games with Canada and the United States on May 31 at 7 p.m. MT.

All 20 games, including the gold medal game on June 4 at 7 p.m. MT, will be played at Moose Jaw Events Centre. 

“Hockey Canada is thrilled to partner with the City of Moose Jaw to host the World Para Ice Hockey Championship this spring,” said Ryan Robins, director of events and properties with Hockey Canada. “Our organization is committed to continuing to grow the para game, and hosting this prestigious event in Canada for the first time is a significant milestone.

“We are looking forward to a fantastic week of hockey and are excited to welcome the competing teams to Saskatchewan in May.”

The United States enters the event as the two-time defending world champion and has won gold five times since the inaugural world championship in 1996. Canada holds the record for the most total medals in the tournament’s history with 10, including four gold (most recently in 2017).

“World Para Ice Hockey is excited to bring the world championship to Canada for the first time, a nation that has had tremendous success in the sport, winning medals and helping grow the game,” said Michelle Laflamme, manager of World Para Ice Hockey. “This will be an opportunity for those in Canada and around the world to tune in and see the best our sport has to offer, with fierce competition and compelling storylines as we begin the next Paralympic cycle.”

Tickets for the 2023 World Para Ice Hockey Championship will go on sale to the public on March 29 at 10 a.m. MT at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets, starting as low as $15.

“The City of Moose Jaw is very excited to welcome the world to our beautiful city and world-class facility this May as we host the 2023 World Para Ice Hockey Championship,” said Clive Tolley, mayor of the City of Moose Jaw. “This is a first for Canada, Saskatchewan and Moose Jaw, and the positive social, economic and community impacts will be incredible. Hosting an international championship of this caliber is something very special and we are so proud to be selected as the first city in Canada to be the site of this event.”

Broadcast information and the pre-tournament schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

ELMIRA, Ont. – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team wrapped up its three-game series against the United States with a loss, falling 2-1 to the Americans in game three at the Woolwich Memorial Centre on Saturday afternoon.

• Dominic Larocque (Québec City, Que.) was stellar in the Canadian goal, making 21 saves.
• James Dunn (Wallacetown, Ont.) scored his second goal of the series on the power play.
• Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.) chipped in with an assist, his second in as many games.
• Canada went three-for-three on the penalty kill.
• The United States outshot Canada 23-4.

Quotes:

“I thought we got back to the identity that we are trying to develop, which is making it difficult for the opposition to get good scoring opportunities. We played like our first game of this series in terms of our defensive structure and our overall competitiveness. We kept fighting right to the end and we are happy about the way we played. We know we can still improve before this year’s world championship, but we need to put in the work to be ready to play the Americans again.”

-      Head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, Ont./York University, OUA) on today’s game and improving ahead of the world championship

“We stuck to our game plan today. We were a lot more resilient, we kept pucks to the outside and away from our net. We played a really good game, but unfortunately we needed a bit of puck luck at the end. We can take a lot of positives from today’s game and the entire week in Elmira, but we need to have a little more consistency and that is something we will focus on moving forward.”

-      Dixon on today’s game and the three-game series

“It was an intense series. We showed a lot of growth as we look ahead to the world championship this year, and we are focusing on getting better every day and becoming the best version of Team Canada that we know we can be. There are a lot of great things we can take away from this week, and it was awesome to play in front of friends, family and the fans in Elmira, especially when it is so close to home for me.”

-      Corbyn Smith (Monkton, Ont.) on the series and playing in Elmira

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ELMIRA, Ont. – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team dropped the second game of its three-game series against the United States, losing 9-3 to its cross-border rival at the Woolwich Memorial Centre on Friday night.

• Captain Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.) led the offence with a pair of power-play goals.
• James Dunn (Wallacetown, Ont.) chipped in with a goal and an assist.
• Anton Jacobs-Webb (Gatineau, Que.), Dominic Cozzolino (Mississauga, Ont.) and Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.) contributed one assist apiece.
• Jean-François Huneault (Saint-Eustache, Que.) made 27 saves.
• The United States outshot Canada 36-30.

Next Game:

Canada vs. United States – Saturday, March 18 (4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT)

Tickets for the game on March 18 are available for purchase at the door at the Woolwich Memorial Centre for $5 for children (under age 17) and $10 for adults.

Quotes:

“I thought we did a great job of moving the puck quickly and spreading the offensive zone out on the power play. We were able to get a lot of accurate shots, and between the power play and having an extra attacker with [Huneault] out, I thought we made plays with urgency. That is what you need to do to capitalize on your chances, and that was a positive for us tonight.”

-      Head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, Ont./York University, OUA) on the team’s power play

“Our power play was one of the bright spots of our game tonight. I thought we moved the puck well and our communication was amazing. We were making really good plays and it was obviously nice to get those two [goals], especially with both of them coming on the power play. Unfortunately, it was a tough loss, but we can take a lot from this game and implement it tomorrow.”

-      McGregor on his power play goals and tomorrow’s game

“There was a bit of a scrum at the blue line and I saw a loose puck. I poked it over to [Dunn] and I saw him skating towards the net. He made a great play, made space for himself and he created a great opportunity that he made the most of.

“We had a good offensive presence tonight, but we need to focus on both sides of the puck equally. Last game we were solid defensively, and today we were a little better offensively but we lacked in some areas on defence. We just need to bring a good mix of both to be successful.”

-      Jacobs-Webb on his assist and takeaways from tonight’s game

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ELMIRA, Ont. – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team opened its three-game series against the United States with a narrow loss, falling to its cross-border rival 1-0 in overtime at the Woolwich Memorial Centre on Wednesday night.

• Dominic Larocque (Québec City, Que.) posted a .971 save percentage, turning aside 34 shots.
• Team Canada went five-for-six on the penalty kill.
• Brody Roybal scored the overtime-winner for the Americans 42 seconds into the extra fame.
• The United States outshot Canada 35-6.

Next Game:

Canada vs. United States – Friday, March 17 (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT)

Tickets for the games on March 17 and 18 are available for purchase at the door at the Woolwich Memorial Centre for $5 for children (under age 17) and $10 for adults.

Quotes:

“Part of our journey to becoming a team is to bring a competitive spirit every night. I think tonight was the best example of that spirit I have seen throughout our line-up, right from our veteran players to our first-year players. I think we can build on this performance, and even if the shots did not show it tonight, we are committed to playing strong defensively. I thought that was a strong point of our game today.”

-      Head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, Ont./York University, OUA) on the way his team competed and played defensively

“It is always exciting to get a chance to play against the Americans, regardless of where we are playing. For me personally, it has been over a year since my last game against them [in the gold medal game] in Beijing. You know you are going to face a lot of shots when you play the United States, and that keeps me focused on the game because I enjoy the challenge [the Americans] bring.”

-      Larocque on facing the United States

“We played a great game overall. Everyone was doing their jobs and we played the style of play that we want to play when we face the United States. The 20-minute periods were a bit of an adjustment, but at the end of the day it was a close game against a good team. We can take a lot of great things from tonight, and we are looking forward to the next two games this week.”

-      James Dunn (Wallacetown, Ont.) on the team’s performance

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alta. – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will continue its 2022-23 season with a stop in Elmira, Ont., for a three-game series against the United States, March 13-18 at the Woolwich Memorial Centre.

Two goaltenders, eight defencemen and 10 forwards were selected to participate in the series by head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, Ont./York University, OUA), Tyler Dietrich (West Vancouver, B.C.), director of hockey operations, and Marshall Starkman (Thornhill, Ont.), manager of hockey operations. Assistant coaches Mike Foligno (Sudbury, Ont.) and Mike Fountain (Gravenhurst, Ont.) also provided input.

“The series against the United States is an important step in our season, as it gives our athletes an opportunity to play against high-calibre competition in preparation for this year’s world championship,” Herrington said. “Elmira has been a great host of the National Para Hockey Team and a supporter of the program for many years, and we are excited to return to the community for the first time since 2020 and give hockey fans in the area a chance to watch two of the top teams in the world.”

The team will travel to Elmira on March 12, with the full Team Canada schedule including five practices and a trio of games — March 15 and 17 at 7 p.m. ET, and March 18 at 4 p.m. ET. The series marks the first time the teams have met since the gold medal game at the 2022 Para Hockey Cup in Bridgewater, N.S., in December.

The staff that will work with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team at the series includes:

• Video coach James Emery (Calgary, Alta.)
• Guest coach Scott Walker (Cambridge, Ont.)
• Team physicians Dr. Roy Diklich (Windsor, Ont./Windsor, OHL) and Dr. Danielle Kelton (Guelph, Ont.)
• Physiotherapist Michael Lenart (Keswick, Ont.)
• Exercise physiologist Nicole Bewski (Winnipeg, Man./CSI Calgary)
• Mental performance consultant Kyle McDonald (Regina, Sask.)
• Equipment manager A.J. Murley (St. John’s, N.L.)
• Hockey operations coordinator Hannah Curlock (Calgary, Alta.)

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

When Maxime Gagnon was approached by a local Montreal club over a decade ago about including para hockey in the Défi sportif AlterGo, he didn’t know anything about the sport. Now, he is one of the biggest advocates of para hockey in Quebec and across the country.

Curious about the sport, Gagnon joined the 11-player club at a tournament in London, Ont., as a coach, since the small team didn’t have one. His introduction to the sport was also his first day he began working with the program in Montreal.

After his time on the bench, he wanted to learn as much about the team as possible. What is the yearly plan? Are there recruitment efforts to get more players? But the players with the small club team said all they did was play the game they loved. Next, he approached Parasports Quebec, but at that point, there wasn’t anyone dedicated towards para hockey.

“At this time, I saw the opportunity,” says Gagnon, who is the director of the Défi sportif AlterGo. “And I said, ‘Let’s go jump [into this].’”

His first call was to the City of Montreal to inquire about ice times for the program.

“They offered us ice time at 8 p.m., so that was good for the guys I had at the time because at the beginning, they played Sunday morning at 5:30 a.m.,” Gagnon says.

Initially, he worked collaboratively with Parasports Quebec and found a club in Laval with more players, but after a few years, Gagnon decided to approach Hockey Quebec.

“The general manager that was there is a good friend of mine, and I said, ‘Why are you not involved with para hockey?’ He said, ‘I don’t know what it is.’ So, we start with him and Hockey Quebec is now the only province that gets 100 per cent involved in para hockey.”

This is the 13th season Gagnon has been involved with para hockey, and there are now about 150 para hockey players across Quebec. The players compete in a five-team league, which is expected to grow to potentially seven teams by next season. In addition to Gagnon’s work with Parahockey Montreal, he is also the head coach of Quebec’s provincial team.

Merci 2022! 🌟

On a hâte de voir ce que tu nous réserves, 2023!

Bonne année 2023! 🍾 pic.twitter.com/uKEvYyK9sp

— Parahockey Montréal (@parahockeymtl) January 1, 2023

The recruitment of new players is a large reason behind the sport’s growth in the province. When making the league schedule, Gagnon tries to limit crossover with other para sport practices to encourage multi-sport athletes. The league has grown its social media presence over the past few years, too.

Gagnon also has connections with Quebec hospitals and rehab centres to introduce the sport to people who have had life-changing accidents.

“When you are in the hospital or a rehab centre, sometimes you’re the only one who has lost a leg,” he says, adding that seeing para hockey players who have lost their legs for different reasons can help recent amputees adapt to their new lifestyle.

Jonathan Daigle from Boucherville, Que., is a single-leg amputee who started playing para hockey when he was eight years old.

“My mom was looking for a sport for me because since I have a handicap, there was not a lot of sports I could do,” Daigle says. “She was looking for an adaptive sport and she found para hockey.”

Now 14, Daigle has been playing para hockey for six years. With Gagnon’s coaching, he has made huge strides in his development and was a member of Quebec’s provincial team when it won the national championship last May.

“He’s really invested into it,” Daigle says of Gagnon. “He is always busy inviting young people, creating events to recruit young people. And when he sees potential in a young player, he will do everything to make sure you can develop the right way.”

That development at the provincial level has paid off. There are eight Quebec players on Canada’s National Para Hockey Team this season. Daigle will be practicing with Team Canada as a participant in the team’s NextGen development camp taking place this weekend in Montreal.

“Since I was a young kid, it’s been my dream to be a part of the national team,” Daigle says. “This is a step closer to my dream and I think it’s going to be fun and lots of experience for me. I’m just going to do my best.”

Dès aujourd'hui, Équipe Canada est en ville pour le camp d'entraînement de l'équipe nationale de développement du Canada! 🇨🇦

Parmi Équipe Canada, 10 Québécois/es sont de l'alignement!

Et vous pouvez les voir en action à Howie-Morenz 😏 pic.twitter.com/5MHWhabA0Y

— Parahockey Montréal (@parahockeymtl) February 16, 2023

For Gagnon, communication is key to help grow the sport in other provinces across the country. He organized the first Zoom call between Member representatives this month to share ideas and challenges together.

“This year, we’ve got for the first time seven provinces at the national championship,” Gagnon explains. “I talk with every province one by one, I put some time and energy, and in my mind, it is important to do some sport, do something.

“I love the sport and I want to be involved for a long time,” he adds. “I don’t do that for money. I do that for the passion of the sport and the passion of the game.”

As the top level of para hockey grows across the country, Gagnon is looking to grow the sport among women and at the U16 junior level. For a young player like Daigle, it’s an encouraging sign of what’s to come.

“The future is very bright,” Daigle says. “[After we train on] Saturday morning, there’s the juniors. There’s a lot of new players that often arrive and there’s a lot of juniors that are really invested.

“I think there’s going to be a lot more Quebecois [playing on the national team]. We have a lot of talents in the future.”

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has announced the 32 players that will attend Canada’s National Para Hockey Team NextGen development camp, Feb. 16-19 at Aréna Howie-Morenz in Montréal.

Four goaltenders, 10 defencemen and 18 forwards were selected by head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, Ont./York University, OUA), Tyler Dietrich (West Vancouver, B.C.), director of hockey operations, and Marshall Starkman (Thornhill, Ont.), manager of hockey operations. Assistant coaches Mike Foligno (Sudbury, Ont.) and Mike Fountain (Gravenhurst, Ont.) also provided input.

“We are excited to return to Montréal and provide our athletes with another opportunity to train in a competitive environment while introducing our younger players to the National Para Hockey Team program,” Starkman said. “This is an exciting time for our sport as we progress through the first year of a new Paralympic cycle, and we look forward to using this camp to integrate national team athletes with young, skilled players that will greatly benefit from this experience.”

The four-day camp will feature 20 players who won a silver medal at the 2022 Para Hockey Cup, as well as 23 players who were selected to participate in training camps and events throughout the 2022-23 season. Nine NextGen prospects (Bilodeau, Baggs, Culmone, Daigle, Hurst, Mah, Stoppa, Straschnitzki, Tousignant) will also attend camp, including two players who will participate in their first Hockey Canada camp (Daigle, Hurst).

The camp will include a variety of on- and off-ice activities, including practices and three intrasquad games, and will be used to help introduce NextGen prospects to Canada’s National Para Hockey Team. It will also be used to evaluate players in advance of a national team series against the United States, March 15-18 in Elmira, Ont., and a development team series against the Americans, April 27-30 in Montréal.

The support staff that will attend Canada’s National Para Hockey Team NextGen development camp includes:

• Guest coaches Maxime Gagnon (Longueuil, Que./Team Quebec Sledge), National Para Hockey Team alumnus Jean Labonté (Hull, Que.) and Scott Walker (Cambridge, Ont.)
• Team physician Dr. Danielle Kelton (Guelph, Ont.)
• Physiotherapists Christophe Lett (Montréal, Que.) and Catherine Senez (Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Que.)
• Equipment managers Martin Lacombe (Sainte-Zotique, Que./Team Quebec Sledge) and A.J. Murley (St. John’s, N.L.)
• Hockey operations coordinator Hannah Curlock (Calgary, Alta.)

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Five years ago, Vincent Boily spent his holidays in the hospital. This year, he did it again.

This time, however, it was to meet young patients who are living the same reality he was in 2017.

On Jan. 6, the National Para Hockey Team rookie visited the Centre de réadaptation Marie Enfant at CHU Sainte-Justine, the Institut de réadaptation Gingras-Lindsay-de-Montréal and the Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine.

“It's about giving back and giving time to people, keeping them motivated,” says the 22-year-old. “It can be harder at this time of year. I've been in their shoes so I can understand how they feel. I try to give them a little boost and make them smile a little bit.”

On Dec. 26, 2017, Boily was involved in a snowmobile accident, which almost paralyzed him and ended his hopes of pursuing a professional hockey career.

“I stayed in the hospital until March,” says the Alma, Que., native. “For the first two weeks, I wasn't allowed to have visitors so I spent most of my holiday season alone. It made me realize how many other people were in the same situation. Normally this is a time of year when you are surrounded by family and joy. That year it was the opposite. It was very difficult mentally.”

On June 9th, a Paralympian Search event was held at INS Québec.
Vincent Boily's story is an inspiring one, as he is looking for a new sports dream. ==> Paralympian Search launches a new chapter in hockey player’s life: https://t.co/G6PrLHkW8x@CDNParalympics pic.twitter.com/DYkJrouuIV

— INS Québec (@INSQuebec) July 6, 2018

Over the years, Boily began to gain notoriety across Quebec for his story. His story is known well enough to have been contacted by a young man who was being treated at Sainte-Justine Hospital. The message he received only strengthened his resolve to reach out to people.

“One child in particular had texted me,” recalls Boily. “He was going through a very difficult time. He was an athlete before he got cancer. He texted me with the help of his parents to see if I could come and visit him during the holidays. It opened my mind and I thought that if I was going to see one person, I might as well try to see as many people as possible to share my story.”

Boily is getting used to the different questions the kids have when they meet him.

More often than not, the conversation eventually turns to hockey, which helps build a bond.

“When they see something wrong with me, they go straight to the point and ask me why I'm limping,” says Boily, who got his first taste of international hockey this season. “When they find out I'm on the National Para Hockey Team, they're very interested in that. There's a story of perseverance behind it. People are extremely touched because they can relate to their own situation. Even if they don't necessarily have to overcome such big obstacles, we can all learn from our different situations. Things usually work out great in the end.”

Of course, Boily is in a good position to tell young people that they should never feel sorry for themselves in life, no matter what happens.

That's the message he tried to deliver throughout his recent visits.

“The important thing is to remind all these young people that there are great things ahead for them,” Boily says. “To get where I am today, I had to believe in myself. It was hard at times, but I hung in there. I'm glad I've come this far to get to where I am now. Even if something happens to them, it's not the end of their story. They decide what chapters are left to be written.”

In addition to the children, Boily also took the opportunity to thank the health care staffs working at the various hospitals.

While the holiday season is about family for so many, the dedicated staffs sacrifice their moments of celebration to spend it with their patients.

“I experienced it when I was in the hospital,” Boily says. “I was always with great nurses. They were constantly taking care of me. It goes beyond their profession, and I think that's remarkable. Maybe some of the staff will recognize me. I want to show them that I am grateful for their dedication to me, but also to all the young people who are in hospitals now. If it wasn't for them, I might not be where I am today.”

GAME STATISTICS

BRIDGEWATER, Nova Scotia – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team earned a silver medal at the 2022 Para Hockey Cup, falling 5-1 to the United States in the gold medal game on Saturday afternoon.

Brody Roybal recorded a hat trick en route to the United States’ seventh consecutive title at the tournament.

The win caps off an impressive event for the Americans, who head home with a perfect 5-0 record.

Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.) scored the lone goal for Canada, which was backstopped by a spectacular 21-save performance from Jean-Francois Huneault (Saint-Eustache, Que.).

“I think we took a lot of good steps forward all week,” said Dixon. “We’re a better team now than we were when we got here. We had three bad minutes today, but I think we can be proud of our effort, proud of the steps we’ve taken and be confident that moving forward, we will be better.”

Canada finished with a record of 3-2, with its only losses coming at the hands of its cross-border rivals.

Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.) picked up his 13th point of the week with an assist on Dixon’s goal, finishing second in tournament scoring. Dominic Cozzolino (Mississauga, Ont.) chipped in with an assist for his tournament-leading ninth helper.

“For two periods and the first eight minutes of the third period, we were right there,” said head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, Ont.). “A bad three-minute span against the best team in the world and you lose your focus, and they blow it open. They have world-class players over there and we gave them easy offence in that span.”

Czechia captured its first-ever bronze medal with a 9-0 win over Italy earlier in the day.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2022 Para Hockey Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

GAME STATISTICS

Bridgewater, N.S. – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team earned a spot in the gold medal game of the 2022 Para Hockey Cup with a 7-0 win over Czechia on Thursday night.

• Liam Hickey (St. John’s, N.L.) and Dominic Cozzolino (Mississauga, Ont.) each had five-point nights, combining for two goals and eight assists.
• Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.) scored a hat-trick and added an assist for a four-point night.
• Rob Armstrong (Erin, Ont.) scored his first goal of the tournament.
• James Dunn (Wallacetown, Ont.) rounded out the scoring for Canada.
• Mathieu Leliévre (Lévis, Que.), Anton Jacobs-Webb (Halifax, N.S.) and Zach Lavin (Essex, Ont.) all had assists.
• Jean-Francois Huneault (Saint-Eustache, Que.) made six saves for the shutout.
• Canada outshot Czechia 22-6

Other Game(s)

United States 11 – Italy 0

• Evan Nichols had a hat-trick for the United States.
• Brett Bolton scored twice, including his first career international goal on a penalty shot.
•  United States outshot Italy 31-2

Next games – Saturday, December 3:

•  Bronze Medal Game – Italy vs. Czechia – 12 p.m. AT
•  Gold Medal Game – Canada vs. United States - 4 p.m. AT

TSN/RDS, the official broadcaster of Hockey Canada will broadcast the medal round games. For more information visit TSN.ca/live.

Quotes:

“I liked how we stayed focused on our own end tonight. Sometimes guys can get looking for points in a game like this, but we took care of things defensively and stayed focused on all the little details”

- Head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, Ont.) on the game.

“We have a great opportunity here in front of us and I think we have to remember that. We’re just focused on what we can do, the little details and taking care of our own end and playing our game. You dream of these moments, and we’re excited.”

- Hickey on playing for gold.

“Every kid who plays hockey has dreamed of the opportunity to play for a gold medal on Canadian soil and beating the USA while doing it. The fans here have been amazing, our families have been here from the start and the town of Bridgewater has been so supportive. We’re all looking forward to the opportunity on Saturday.”

- Cozzolino on playing at home with support from Canadian fans.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca , or follow through social media onFacebook,Twitter and Instagram.