U.S. Advances To Gold Medal Game At Sled Worlds
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) recorded five points to lead the U.S. National Sled Team to a 6-1 victory over China in the semifinals of the 2025 World Para Ice Hockey Championship at the LECOM Harborcenter.
With the win, the U.S. advances to face Canada in the gold medal game on Saturday (May 31). Puck drop is set for 4 p.m. ET and can be viewed live on USAHockeyTV.com. Fans can purchase tickets HERE.
“I thought that was the most complete effort we’ve had in a game all season,” said David Hoff (Bottineau, N.D), head coach of the U.S. National Sled Team. “I really liked our defense on the puck and our awareness away from the puck, which is something we’ve been talking about as a team. I’m really happy with the effort.”
Team USA received the first power play of the game just 3:19 into the first period. On the power play, Jack Wallace (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) picked up a loose puck outside the crease and circled with it in the center of the ice before wristing a rising shot over Ji Yan Zhao’s glove to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead.
HIGHLIGHTS
Early in the second period, China was called for back-to-back penalties, giving Team USA 1:53 of 5-on-3 action. Wallace corralled the puck in the middle of the zone before passing to Farmer right outside the right faceoff dot. Farmer lazered it past Zaho to open a 2-0 lead for the U.S.
Evan Nichols (Haymarket, Va.) tallied Team USA’s third of the game, deflecting a cross pass from Farmer that trickled through the goaltender’s pads, before Josh Pauls (Green Brook, N.J.) opened a 4-0 lead with 2:32 remaining in the middle frame.
Two goals were scored in the last minute of the frame, with Zhi Dong Wang breaking the shutout for China with 40 seconds remaining, before Farmer tallied his second of the game, and the U.S.’ fifth, with five ticks left in the period.
The first goal of the third put Team USA up 6-1 after Wallace capitalized on a power play, tucking a backhander right inside the goal post where the scoreboard would stay for the duration of the game.
Griffin LaMarre (Haverhill, Mass.) made eight saves in net for the U.S.
NOTES: Evan Nichols was named the U.S. Player of the Game … Team USA outshot China, 30-9 … The U.S. was 3-6 on the power play, while China was 0-5 … Team USA advanced to the World Para Ice Hockey Championship for the tenth-consecutive tournament and will play for a record seventh gold medal tomorrow.
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Source: usahockey.com