The U.S. National Sled Hockey Team has enjoyed a dominant run for more than a decade, but team captain Josh Pauls remembers when that was not always the case.
Pauls scored two goals and helped the U.S. defeat Canada 4-1 in the 2024 Para Hockey Cup championship game at Bell Aliant Centre in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, on Dec. 14.
The win secured a ninth straight Para Hockey Cup title for the Americans and their 11th overall.
“It doesn’t matter how we get there, we go into every tournament wanting to be in the championship game,” Pauls said. “When I made the team back in 2008-09, we were a third-place team. Eventually we got second more often and then we started winning more championships. It’s a testament to our guys who changed the sport and how it’s played. It’s been so fun just to be part of this team.”
Pauls, a standout defenseman, is in his 17th season with the team and his eighth as team captain. He’s helped the U.S. capture the gold medal in four Paralympic Winter Games and six world championships.
Pauls typically prides himself on his defensive abilities, and he isn’t known for lighting the lamp. In fact, over his long career with the national team, Pauls has had five full seasons where he’s scored two or fewer goals.
However, Pauls sparked the offense during Saturday’s championship game. He scored the first goal of the game on a breakaway and closed the scoring with a backdoor tap in off a feed from Declan Farmer.
“It was cool to be rewarded on the scoresheet,” Pauls said. “The first goal was a pretty one. I had some speed through the neutral zone, the defenseman gave me the middle of the ice and I took advantage of it. On the second goal, Declan took it wide and when you sneak into the back door, he’s going to find you.”
The U.S. boasted a 5-0-0-0 record in the tournament and outscored the opposition by a 39-8 margin. The Americans beat China and Czechia before earning a 5-3 win against Canada to close out preliminary-round play. The U.S. routed China in the semifinals before defeating Canada again to secure the title.
“We improved in every game,” Pauls said. “We accomplished our goal, but we still have another half a season to go. [The World Championship] in Buffalo is where the benchmark is at. It doesn’t matter if you win tournament if you lose the last game of the year.”
Farmer scored twice in the Americans’ preliminary-round win against Canada and Pauls led the charge in the championship game. The game was tied 1-1 through two periods, thanks to Pauls’ breakaway goal, but the U.S. clinched the championship with three goals in the third, with Farmer and Jack Wallace joining Pauls on the scoresheet.
“We have some of the hardest working guys in the world, but they’re also the most skilled,” Pauls said. “It’s a dangerous combination when some of your best guys are the hardest workers. That’s the recipe for success and the floodgates just opened for us in the third.”
The U.S. previously won three consecutive world championships but suffered a 2-1 setback against Canada during May’s gold-medal game. The Americans hadn’t lost a game since October 2021 and had a 23-game winning streak against Canada before that contest.
The U.S. has strung together a pair of tournament wins since then. Pauls is eager to meet Canada again during the 2025 World Championship, scheduled for May 24-31 in Buffalo, New York.
“We’re doing OK, but we know there’s more room to grow,” Pauls said. “Our ultimate goal is [the World Championship and the Paralympic Winter Games] in Milan and it’s all about ramping up for that. That’s our main focus and we can’t get complacent. We’re excited to win, but it doesn’t matter if we’re not able to perform in May.”
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.
Source: usahockey.com