CALGARY, Alberta – Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) notched a hat trick and added two assists, setting new U.S. records for single-season goals (33) and points (52), to help lift the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team to an 11-0 shutout over Korea in its second preliminary round game at the 2024 World Para Ice Hockey Championship. 

“We really moved the puck well today,” said David Hoff, head coach of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. “We finished our chances well today too, especially with the way we got out to that strong start in the second period.”

Josh Misiewicz (La Grange, Ill.) opened the scoring 3:59 into the contest when he slid the puck past Korean goaltender Daehan Bong from just outside the crease off a feed from Josh Pauls (Green Brook, N.J.). 

Just 32 seconds later, Evan Nichols (Haymarket, Va.) crashed the net off a rebound and wristed home his second goal of the tournament to put Team USA up 2-0. 

Jack Wallace (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) found Misiewicz open out in front while on the power play at the 5:58 mark, who deked the goalie before burying his second goal of the game to go up 3-0. Travis Dodson (Deming, N.M.) extended the U.S. lead 30 seconds later, with Kevin McKee (Davenport, Iowa) and Brett Bolton (Rockledge, Fla.) picking up helpers on the play.

At the 8:08 mark, Farmer went bar down with a laser from the top of the circles, collecting his 31st goal and 49th point of the season on the same play to break the U.S. National Sled Team single-season record for each.  

Farmer capitalized on a breakaway chance off a feed from McKee with 3:36 to go in the opening period, then completed a natural hat trick with a backhand wraparound goal just over a minute later to give Team USA a 7-0 lead. 

David Eustace (Stoneham, Mass.) added a wraparound goal of his own with 1:24 to go, and Team USA took an 8-0 lead into the first intermission. 

At the 4:39 mark of the middle frame, Farmer fed Malik Jones (Aurora, Colo.) in the slot with a nifty saucer pass, who rifled the puck home short side to extend the U.S. lead. 

The U.S. went up 10-0 when Wallace hit Ben Musselman (Amelia, Ohio) with a saucer pass as he cut towards the Korean goal, and Musselman finished off the chance with a top-shelf wrister. 

McKee added to the tally with 5:46 to play in the second stanza, giving Team USA an 11-0 advantage. 

The game remained scoreless for the remainder of the contest. Griffin LaMarre (Haverhill, Mass.) earned a shutout in goal for the U.S.

Team USA will face off against China in its final preliminary round game on Tuesday at WinSport Arena. Puck drop is set for 1:30 p.m. MT, and the game will stream live HERE. 

NOTES: The U.S. outshot Korea 20-4 … Team USA went 2-4 on the power play, while Korea was 0-2 … Kevin McKee was named U.S. Player of the Game.