The U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team advanced smoothly through the preliminary stage of the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
The Americans secured victories in all three matches with a total score of 34-2. The stakes will rise on Friday as the U.S. faces Czechia in the semifinals at 9:35 a.m. ET (USA Network) at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
After the triumph over China on Tuesday, David Hoff, head coach of the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team, concentrated more on his squad rather than contemplating future adversaries.
“I felt each step has been positive through these initial three days,” Hoff stated. “Looking forward, which isn’t too far off, we’ll take whoever we face.”
Confidence is high in the U.S. locker room following three decisive victories.
After conceding a goal to the Italians just 25 seconds into their opening match, the Americans rebounded impressively, led by four goals from Declan Farmer and two each from Brett Bolton and David Eustace.
“It was a bit of a shaky start to the game; perhaps we were a little anxious, I’m not sure, but we found our intensity, collaborated well, communicated effectively, and [we] started to excel,” Eustace remarked.
The atmosphere in Milan left a lasting impression on Bolton, who made his Paralympic debut in the victory against Italy.
“It was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had,” Bolton noted. “It was the largest audience I’ve ever played in front of. It was absolutely wild.”
Farmer, as it turned out, was just beginning his scoring spree. He netted four goals against the Germans, including his team’s first three goals, with the initial one coming just 58 seconds into the match.
Eustace, Bolton, Jack Wallace, and Kayden Beasley also contributed two goals each. Landon Uthke, another newcomer to the Paralympics, recorded two assists in the 13-0 victory.
“I felt quite nervous before the game,” Uthke said, “but I quickly overcame that, receiving a lot of support from my team, especially my defensive partner Jack [Wallace], and just kept the momentum going, ready for the next game.”
It could have been easy for the U.S. to underestimate some of its early opponents in the tournament. Given the outcomes, Hoff was impressed with his team’s focus during the preliminary round.
“I believed those first two games were likely mismatches on paper, but I appreciated our players’ concentration,” Hoff remarked. “There were specific aspects we aimed to improve, whether it was the game’s pace or line changes, so I was pleased with our performance there.”
Against China, Farmer achieved his 54th career point at the Games, making him the all-time leading scorer in Paralympic history. After accumulating five points in the win over China, Farmer stands at 58 career points heading into the semifinals.
Brody Roybal scored twice against China, while captain Josh Pauls and newcomer Liam Cunningham completed the scoring for the U.S.
Jen Lee and Griffin LaMarre have alternated in goal thus far, with Lee starting against Italy and China, while LaMarre took the net against Germany. The goalies faced few shots in the first two matches, but Lee made eight saves against China.
Next up for the U.S. is Czechia, which fell to Canada 4-1 on Tuesday. Prior to that, the Czechs defeated Japan 3-2 and Slovakia 8-1 in their opening two games.
Radek Zelinka, a two-time Paralympian, has been the leading scorer for the Czech team with three goals so far.
Based on historical performance and the results of these Games, Sunday’s gold-medal match — scheduled for 11:05 a.m. ET — may feature the U.S. and Canada. These nations have competed for the gold medal in the last two Games, and one of them has claimed every gold medal since 2002.
Similar to the Americans, the Canadians excelled in the preliminary round, winning their three matches with a cumulative score of 26-1.
While the U.S. has shown dominance thus far, Hoff believes there is always room for enhancement.
“That’s the approach we’re taking,” he stated. “I’ve been trying to convey to the players in the locker room that if we thoroughly analyze our individual games, we should believe that we have even better performances ahead of us.”
The key for the U.S. moving forward may be what Farmer identifies as his greatest asset on the ice.
“Patience,” said the 28-year-old Farmer, who has recorded four hat tricks in 16 Paralympic games.
If the Americans can maintain patience on offense, play strong defense, and receive solid goaltending, they could secure a fifth consecutive gold medal on Sunday.
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.
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