U.S. tops Canada in OT to grab world sledge hockey gold

BRIDGEWATER, N.S. — Head coach Ken Babey went into the Canadian sledge hockey team’s dressing room in the second intermission with an important message for his team. Don’t give up. Down 2-0 to the United States after two periods in Saturday’s gold medal game at the world sledge hockey challenge, Canada scored twice in the opening minutes of the third before falling 3-2 in overtime.

“I just talked to them about the fact that we can battle back if we play our style and play as a team,” Babey said. “I told the guys, ‘Never, never quit.’ We got some quick goals and it gave us a lot of emotion. But when you go into overtime it’s going to go one way or the other.

“Our guys showed a lot of character and heart to come back and we’ve got some work to do as we prepare for 2018 in Korea.”

Josh Pauls scored 7:31 into overtime to lift the defending gold medallist Americans to their second straight world sledge hockey challenge title. They beat Russia last year in Leduc, Alta. It was the fifth time the North American rivals had played each other for gold at the fourteam tournament.

“It’s always fun to win, especially in a hostile environment,” said U.S. coach Jeff Sauer. “I thought we won the first period but struggled to find our game until overtime. Give credit to Canada for making a game out of it.”

Brody Roybal and Declan Farmer had a goal and two assists apiece for the U.S. and Pauls added a helper for a two-point outing.

Brad Bowden and Ben Delaney scored three minutes apart early in the third period to erase Canada’s early deficit. Delaney also assisted on Bowden’s goal and Adam Dixon helped set up both.

“We were in a game that was going down to the last inch and it didn’t go our way,” Babey said.

American goaltender Steve Cash stopped 16 shots for the win. Canada’s Corbin Watson made 23 saves, including 9-of-10 in overtime. The Canadians did not get a shot on goal in the extra period.