OSTRAVA, Czechia – Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) scored four goals and added an assist as the U.S. National Sled Team defeated Italy, 9-2, here today (Oct. 21) in 2025 IPH Cup preliminary-round action at Ostravar Arena.

With the win, the U.S. is now 1-1-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) through two preliminary-round contests. Team USA will take on Czechia in its third preliminary-round game on Thursday (Oct. 23). Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. local time/12 p.m. ET, and the game will stream live here. 

“It was a lot better offensive outcome for us today,” said David Hoff (Bottineau, N.D.), head coach of the U.S. National Sled Team. “It was great to get some younger guys an opportunity in the lineup today as well.” 

At the 5:34 mark of the opening frame, Farmer flipped the puck over a defender to Brett Bolton (Rockledge, Fla.) in the slot, who batted the puck past Italian netminder Julian Kasslatter to open the scoring for Team USA.  

Just 28 seconds later, Liam Cunningham (River Falls, Wis.) found Evan Nichols (Haymarket, Va.) with a backdoor feed, and Nichols tapped the puck across the goal line from just outside the crease to double the U.S. lead. Wesley Clowson (Claysburg, Pa.) also assisted on the goal.  

Farmer made it a 3-0 game 1:36 into the middle stanza, carrying the puck below the right circle before lifting a short-side wrister top-shelf for the tally. 

Farmer recorded a shorthanded goal for his second of the game at the 6:05 mark when he weaved through multiple defenders before wristing one home from the right circle. Jack Wallace (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) picked up an assist on the play. 

With 1:14 to play in the middle frame, Nichols fed Brody Roybal (Northlake, Ill.) with a drop pass in the offensive zone, and Roybal capitalized with a laser into the top corner of the goal to make it a 5-0 game.

Farmer completed a hat trick in the final minute of the second period on a penalty shot, deking to beat Kasslatter, and capitalizing to give the U.S. a 6-0 lead.  

Noah Grove (Frederick, Md.) added to the tally four minutes into the third, gathering a rebound in the slot and rifling the puck home to make it a 7-0 game. 

With 5:29 remaining in the contest, Grove found Ben Musselman (Amelia, Ohio) in the slot, who capitalized to extend the U.S. advantage. 

Farmer made it 9-0 with his fourth tally of the contest just over a minute later. Bolton earned an assist on the goal. 

Italy’s Gianluigi Rosa and Christoph Depaoli each scored in the closing minutes of the contest to account for the 9-2 final.

Kyle Huckaby (Port Arthur, Texas) picked up the win in goal for the U.S.

NOTES: The U.S. outshot Italy 27-6 … Team USA was 0-1 on the power play, while Italy did not have a power play… Kyle Huckaby was named U.S. Player of the Game.