Team USA skated today from 12:30-1:30pm local time for its final skate ahead of tomorrow’s opening game against Korea. The game, set for a 12pm local/11am ET puck drop, will officially kick off Team USA’s international competition, which will ultimately culminate in March at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.
     This will be the second consecutive year Team USA opens WSHC play against Korea. A year ago, the U.S. blanked Korea, 4-0.

WINNING PEDRIGREE
Since dropping a 3-1 decision to Canada in the championship game of the 2013 World Sled Hockey Challenge, Team USA has gone on to produce in 11-3-1-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record in 15 WSHC games. Twice (2015, 2016 (Dec.) the U.S. has gone undefeated, with its only loss in the last three WSHC’s being a 3-2 overtime decision against Canada in the preliminary round of the 2016 (Jan.) WSHC.

FARMER RAKING IN POINTS
Over the last three World Sled Hockey Challenges, forward Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) has found himself atop the statistics leaders. At the 2016 (Dec.) event, he tallied 17 points (8-9) after pacing all skaters at the 2015 (Jan.) event with 12 points (7-5). In 2015, Farmer became the first U.S. player to lead the tournament in scoring when he tallied nine points (3-6). 

BALANCING ACTS
For some members of Team USA, pursuing their hockey dreams comes with balancing time for family, school or careers. Recently, USA Hockey learned more about the balancing acts of hockey & work with Josh Pauls and Steve Cash, click here. For a glimpse of the academic challenges players like Jack Wallace and Declan Farmer face, click here.