Goyang, South Korea -- The U.S. National Sled Hockey Team defeated Sweden, 7-0, today in its opening game of the 2013 International Paralympic Committee Ice Sledge Hockey World Championship at Goyang SPART Complex. Taylor Chace (Hampton Falls, N.H.) sparked the offense by scoring the first two U.S. goals in the final minute of the opening period. Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) added two second period goals and earned Team USA Player of the Game honors.
Scoreless for the first 14 minutes, Chace ripped a shot from just inside the blue line at 14:17 to give Team USA the lead. Twenty-four seconds later, Chace one-timed a shot into the net from the inner edge of the left circle.
Farmer scored off a two-on-one feed from Josh Pauls (Green Brook, N.J.) a minute into the second period. Two minutes later, Paul Schaus (Buffalo, N.Y.) converted a centering pass from Josh Sweeney (Glendale, Ariz.) to make it 4-0. Farmer tallied again at 9:53, carrying the puck through traffic in the left circle to reach the front of the net.
Team USA tacked on two goals in the final minutes of the third period. Nikko Landeros (Johnstown, Colo.) scored at 10:13 on a rush up the right wing. Kevin McKee (Davenport, Iowa) converted a cross-crease feed from Taylor Lipsett (Mesquite, Texas) at 12:26.
Goaltenders Steve Cash (Overland, Mo.) and Jen Lee (San Francisco, Calif.) shared the shutout. Cash started and stopped the three shots he faced in 20:38 of action. Lee posted five saves in 24:22.
Team USA is back in action tomorrow against Norway. Game time is 11:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday (12:30 p.m. Korea Time on Sunday). All games are being streamed live on sledworlds.usahockey.com.