SOCHI, Russia – Adam Page (Lancaster, N.Y.) scored and goaltender Steve Cash (Overland, Mo.) turned away eight shots, but the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team fell to Russia, 2-1, in its final preliminary-round game of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Shayba Arena.
Team USA will play Canada in the Paralympic semifinals Thursday (March 13) at noon ET. NBC Sports Network will televise the game live.
Despite the U.S. holding an 11-4 edge in shots on goal in the opening period, Russia scored first at 11:57 on a five-on-three power play. Russia expanded its lead to 2-0 when a rebound hit a U.S. player in front and bounced into the net at 2:37 of the second stanza.
Page pulled Team USA to within a goal at 4:50 of the third period when he batted a rebound over Russian goaltender Vladimir Kamantcev from the edge of the crease. After the United States won a faceoff, Nikko Landeros (Johnstown, Colo.) weaved his way into the offensive zone and through the left circle. Once there, he fired a shot that Kamantcev knocked up the middle and right to Page to flip over his glove. Andy Yohe (Bettendorf, Iowa) collected the second assist on the play.
The United States appeared to tie the score when Taylor Chace (Hampton Falls, N.H.) unloaded a shot from the high slot, but the tally was waived off when the official ruled a U.S. player had interfered with Kamantcev.
Team USA finished the game with a 23-10 advantage in shots on goal, including a 7-2 edge in the third period.
The U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team completed the preliminary round in second place of Group B with a 2-0-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record.