A big game
Bridges recalls lean years of national sledge hockey program
Billy Bridges going for gold in sledge hockey
Billy Bridges lived through the lean years of Canadian sledge hockey, when the privilege of playing for Canada’s national team came with a hefty $15,000 price tag.
“Plus, we had to pay for our travel and all our own food. We were eating fast food. We had 4 a.m., 5 a.m. ice times, because that’s all we could afford, the cheap ice,” Bridges said. Bridges and Tyler McGregor two goals apiece as the Canadians dispatched South Korea 7-0 in Thursday’s Paralympic hockey (formerly sledge hockey) semifinals, booking their first berth in the gold-medal game since they won Paralympic gold in 2006.
The world No. 1-ranked Americans played Italy in the other semifinal Thursday evening.
Canada, which beat the U.S. 4-1 for a record fourth world title last year, has yet to be tested in this tournament, running roughshod over opponents 42-0 through four games so far. Bridges credits Hockey Canada, which brought Canadian sledge hockey under its umbrella in 2004, with raising the level of excellence and professionalism in the program.
“I’m so lucky that I was a part of the team before Hockey Canada took over, because I got a chance to see what they’ve done,” said Bridges, a five-time Paralympian from Summerside. The Canadian players are as well-funded as “any amateur athlete” Bridges said, receiving a monthly stipend – or carding – from Sport Canada, money from Own The Podium, plus sponsors.
“I can’t believe I’m a disabled athlete, basically making a living and playing hockey on the greatest stage and having people watch, and doing interviews,” said Bridges, who was born with spina bifida. “Tenyear-old me would never believe this right now, when I realized I was a disabled person, and that I wasn’t going to the NHL. That was always my dream, to go to the NHL and be a big hockey star. And it’s something special to be a part of this now.” The Canadians put on a show at Gangneung Hockey Centre, with Liam Hickey, Dom Cozzolino, and Greg Westlake scoring one goal each. Corbin Watson and Dominic Larocque shared time in net, making a save apiece, as the Canadians outshot South Korea 24-2. Canadian coach Ken Babey would like to have seen more parity in a tournament that saw the Americans breeze through the first round, outscoring opponents 28-0.
Canada and the U.S. also have the youngest teams, each averaging about 27 years old. There are five players over 50 in the tournament, including 61-yearold Japanese netminder Shinobu Fukushima.
“It’s kind of like women’s hockey in the sense that we have to help grow the game, we have to share our knowledge, share some of our resources, because it’s not going to grow unless we do,” he said. “I really think as leaders, Canada and the United States . . . I think we should continue to do what we do, and maybe do even more.” To that end, Canada hosted South Korea last year in Calgary, plus visited South Korea to play a series of games.
“I think (the Koreans) are way better than they were two years ago. They’re faster, they’re more skilled, they’re playing a style now, a system,” said Babey, who coached at SAIT for 27 years before taking over the Para program in 2015.
“And we try to get countries like Italy, Sweden, the Czechs coming to Canada if they want. We’ve extended informal invitations to do that for next year.”