Canada falls to U.S. in gold-medal game at Para Ice Hockey Women's World Challenge
Canadian goalie Jessie Gregory makes tournament-high 23 saves in 2-0 loss
The Canadian women's Para hockey team took home silver at the Women's World Challenge for the second straight year after a 2-0 loss to the United States in Sunday's final.
Canada's Jessie Gregory delivered another stellar performance with a tournament-high 23 saves, but the Canadians were only able to register one shot against the defending champion. The U.S. went 4-0 without surrendering a goal in the four-team tournament at the Cornerstone Community Center in Green Bay, Wisc.
Canada finished with a 2-2 record after round-robin wins over Great Britain (0-4) and Team World (2-2), which is made up of players from 11 countries.
Gregory turned away 11 shots to keep the final scoreless in the first period, including multiple glove saves, but U.S. forward Kelsey Lee Diclaudio managed to beat a screened Gregory early in the second frame during a delayed penalty.
❌🥅❌ 🇨🇦 <a href="https://twitter.com/CSHWT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CSHWT</a>'s Jessie Gregory has been denying the USA attack so far!<br><br>Join us as we start the second period! 🏒<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParaIceHockey?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParaIceHockey</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WomensWorldChallenge23?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WomensWorldChallenge23</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Citi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Citi</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ParaSport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ParaSport</a>
—@paraicehockeyCanada was outshot 21-0 entering the third period, but the game remained within reach thanks to Gregory's heroics. The Wainfleet, Ont., native faced a similar onslaught against the U.S. in Canada's opener, making 22 saves in a 3-0 loss on Thursday.
Hope Bevilhymer made the lone save for the U.S. in the third period.
Despite the lack of shots on goal, Canada enjoyed more success in the American zone and had opportunities to generate offence. A Canadian shot was deflected just over the net shortly before American forward Lera Doederlein added the insurance dagger on a breakaway.
Doederlein scored with just over five minutes left in the game as the home crowd erupted. Canada pulled Gregory for the extra attacker in the final minutes, but the speedy Americans were able to kill the clock for their second Women's World Challenge title.
The U.S. beat Canada 5-1 in last year's gold-medal game at the inaugural edition of the tournament, also held in Green Bay.
While Para hockey is technically a mixed sport at the Paralympic level, only three female players have ever competed at the Games.
Tousignant, along with captain Alanna Mah, are among the 30 players invited to Canada's national team evaluation camp this week in Calgary ahead of the 2023-24 season. Tousignant made history last May as the first-ever woman to make Canada's national team for the World Para Ice Hockey Championships.
Canada's 19-player roster in Green Bay featured 13 returning players from last year's silver-medal squad, with Tara Chisholm back as head coach. The Canadians bounced back from their opening loss to the U.S. with a 4-2 win over Team World on Friday and 9-0 thumping of Great Britain on Saturday.
Led by 2018 Paralympian Lena Schroeder of Norway, Team World claimed bronze with a 7-0 victory over Great Britain earlier on Sunday.
Canada roster
Forwards
- Myriam Adam
- Aubree Clements
- Sheena Darnley
- Hadley Frittenburg
- Hailey King
- Alanna Mah
- Vanessa Racine
- Raphaëlle Tousignant
- Alyssa White
Defenders
- Peggy Assinck
- Claire Buchanan
- Hailey Halik
- Meghan Harris
- Émilie Charron-Pilotte
- Alicia Souveny
- Mackenzie Spong
Goalies
- Tracey Arnold
- Marie-Ève Croteau
- Jessie Gregory
