QUISPAMSIS, N.B. -- Brody Roybal (Northlake, Ill.) and Jack Wallace (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) each collected five points as the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team skated to an 11-1 victory over China here today in the preliminary round of the 2023 Para Hockey Cup at the Qplex.
“We started the game really well and created a lot of quality opportunities,” said David Hoff (Bottineau, N.D.), “Our goal was to come out strong after yesterday, and I thought it was a great performance.”
Just 37 seconds after the opening faceoff, Roybal hit Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) on a pass across the neutral zone, who entered the zone all alone and fired a short-side wrister for a tally to put the U.S. up 1-0. Just over a minute later, Wallace scored to extend the U.S. lead to 2-0.
China made it a one-goal game at the 2:39 mark, but Team USA quickly responded, as Brett Bolton (Rockledge, Fla.) blasted a shot top-shelf at 3:19. Just seconds later, Kevin McKee (Davenport, Iowa) added to the tally, batting home a dish from Farmer on the doorstep.
Josh Misiewicz (La Grange, Ill.) capitalized on the man-advantage at the 5:05 mark to give Team USA a 5-1 lead. With 7:21 to go in the opening frame, Bolton picked up his second goal of the contest after forcing a turnover in the offensive zone. Just over a minute later, Travis Dodson (Deming, N.M.) scored to put Team USA up 7-1. Misiewicz capped off the first with another power play goal in the final minute.
The U.S. took a 9-1 lead 35 seconds into the middle stanza, after Roybal flipped the puck over a defender and the goaltender from the top of the left circle. With 6:24 remaining in the second, Liam Cunningham (River Falls, Wis.) picked up his first-career goal for the 10th U.S. tally of the game. Just seconds later, Brody Roybal scored to make it 11-1.
Griffin LaMarre (Haverhill, Mass.) picked up the win between the pipes for Team USA.
The U.S. will play host Canada in its final preliminary-round game on Wednesday night. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. ET at the Qplex, and the game will be live streamed here.
NOTES: Team USA was 2-5 on the power play, while China was 0-2 … The U.S. outshot China 21-9 … Brett Bolton was named U.S. Player of the Game.
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