CALGARY, Alberta – Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) scored four goals and Malik Jones (Aurora, Colo.) collected six assists as the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team skated to a 10-0 victory over Slovakia here today in the opening game of the 2024 World Para Ice Hockey Championship at WinSport Arena.

“It was a strong start to the tournament,” said David Hoff, head coach of the U.S. National Sled Team. “We moved the puck well and were able to get a lot of players involved.”

David Eustace (Stoneham, Mass.) opened the scoring 3:44 into the contest when he collected a loose puck off a Jack Wallace (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) rebound and wristed it past Eduard Lepacek from the slot.

Just over a minute later, Jones fed Farmer as he cut towards goal, who capitalized with a wrist shot to give Team USA a 2-0 lead.

At the 8:27 mark, Farmer went coast-to-coast, weaving through the Slovakian defense before blasting the puck into the top left corner to put the U.S. up 3-0.

Evan Nichols (Haymarket, Va.) made it 4-0 at 1:10 into the middle frame when he batted home a pass from Jones on the doorstep.

Farmer completed a hat trick and Jones picked up his fourth helper of the game at the 5:24 mark of the second as Team USA went ahead 5-0. Just 28 seconds later, Brody Roybal (Northlake, Ill.) added to the tally with Josh Misiewicz (La Grange, Ill.) contributing an assist on the play.

Griffin LaMarre (Haverhill, Mass.) entered the game in goal for Team USA with 8:06 remaining in the period after Jen Lee (San Francisco, Calif.) didn’t allow a goal through 21:54 of action.

Chris Douglas (Saint Cloud, Fla.) gave the U.S. a 7-0 lead when he slid the puck past Slovakian goaltender Miroslav Pastucha from the bottom of the right circle at the 1:42 mark of the final stanza.

Just one minute later, Wallace boxed out a defender at the point before threading a pass to Ben Musselman (Amelia, Ohio) in the slot, who deked the goaltender before finding the back of the net to put Team USA up 8-0.

Farmer collected his fourth goal of the game with 10:24 remaining, with Nichols and Jones adding assists on the play.

Wallace added a tally with 1:03 remaining in the contest to account for the 10-0 final.

Lee and LaMarre combined for a shutout in goal for the U.S.

Team USA will face off against Korea in its second preliminary-round game tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. MT. The game will live stream here.

NOTES: Team USA outshot Slovakia 31-1 … The U.S. was 0-2 on the power play, while Slovakia did not have a power play … Declan Farmer was named U.S. Player of the Game.