GAME DAY | U.S. National Sled Team Takes on Italy in IPH Cup Semifinals

OSTRAVA, Czechia – The U.S. National Sled Hockey Team will take on Italy here today (Oct. 12) in the semifinals of the 2024 IPH Cup at Ostravar Arena. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. local/9 a.m. ET, and the game will stream live here.

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These teams faced off Thursday (Oct. 10) in each squad’s third and final preliminary round contest. Taggart VanderMolen (Fruitport, Mich.) was named U.S. Player of the Game after recording a shutout in his first career start, while Josh Misiewicz (La Grange, Ill.) collected two assists, including his 100th career point, to help lift the U.S. to a 2-0 victory.

Team USA enters the semifinals as the top seed with a 2-1-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record after also beating Czechia 8-0 on Monday (Oct. 7), and Canada 2-1 in overtime on Tuesday (Oct. 8). Italy enters the matchup with a 0-0-0-3 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record.

The U.S. and Italy have faced off 12 times across all competitions, with Team USA holding an 12-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) record.

The U.S. is unbeaten at the IPH Cup since the inaugural tournament in 2022, holding a 12-1-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record all-time at the event, including back-to-back tournament titles.

Every game from the four-team event, which runs through Oct. 13, will stream live on the Czechia Para Hockey YouTube channel. The championship and third-place games will be played tomorrow (Oct. 13).

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Source: usahockey.com