THE CANADIAN PRESS
CALGARY — Adam Dixon and Billy Bridges had a goal and an assist each Wednesday to lead Canada to a 2-1 win over the United States at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge.
Benoit St-Amand made eight saves to record the victory for Canada, which won all three of its round-robin games at the four-team tournament.
Taylor Chace scored the lone goal for the U.S. (2-1), while Steve Cash finished with 12 saves.
Canada went 0-for-1 with the man advantage, while also killing off all four power plays.
Earlier in the day, Morgan Vaernes scored the shootout clincher to lead Norway (1-2) to a 1-0 win over Japan (0-3).
The Americans will meet Norway in one semifinal on Thursday, while Canada takes on Japan. The bronze- and gold-medal games go Saturday.
After Canada and the U.S. traded some early chances, Dixon opened the scoring at 6:47 of the first period when his shot from the point deflected in off Cash’s glove.
Then with Canada’s Kevin Rempel off for holding late in the second, Dixon flipped a pass from his own zone up to Bridges, who broke in alone before roofing a shot over Cash.
Chace pulled the Americans to within a goal by swatting his own rebound past St-Amand at 12:39 of the third, but the U.S. would get no closer.
Earlier Wednesday, Norwegian goalie Kjell Christian Hamar stopped all 14 shots he faced through regulation and overtime, while Japanese netminder Mitsuru Nagase had a 17-save performance and was also credited with a shutout.
Audun Bakke scored for Norway in the first round of the shootout before Satoru Sudo replied for Japan in the third. Vaernes then sealed the victory for the Norwegians by snapping a shot up and over Nagase.
Notes: After the preliminary round, Bridges leads all scorers at the tournament with two goals and six assists. … After scoring three goals and an assist in U.S.’s first two games, forward Kevin McKee was held off the scoresheet against Canada.
