CALGARY, Alberta – The U.S. National Sled Hockey Team begins its quest for an unprecedented fourth-consecutive, and seventh overall, World Para Ice Hockey Championship gold medal, here today (May 4) against Slovakia at WinSport Arena.

Puck drop is scheduled for 10 a.m. MT, and the game will stream live on the Paralympic Games YouTube channel. 

Today’s contest marks the first-ever matchup between Team USA and Slovakia. 

The U.S. enters the 2024 World Para Ice Hockey Championship with an unbeaten 15-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record after capturing the IPH Cup in Ostrava, Czechia, in October and the Para Hockey Cup in Quispamsis, N.B., in December. Team USA also swept the three-game March Sled Series vs. Canada in Minot, N.D., and followed that up by going 2-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) in the April Sled Series vs. Canada. 

The U.S. holds a 44-3-1-15 (W-OTW-OTL-L) all-time record at the World Para Ice Hockey Championship, outscoring opponents 248 to 95 in 63 world championship contests. In world championship tournament-opening games, Team USA is 9-0-0-3 (W-OTW-OTL-L) all-time, including wins in nine of its last ten.