MILAN — Three weeks after the United States and Canada clashed in the Olympic hockey final, they are facing off again for gold. This time it’s the Paralympic Games.
The United States is striving to establish itself as the premier hockey nation. Canada is determined to prevent its neighbors from hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan Cortina.
It looks set to be another chapter in the famous rivalry between the two hockey powerhouses.
“This is one of the greatest rivalries in sports and we are very fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of it,” Canada captain Tyler McGregor told The Associated Press. “These are different games as an athlete – more emotional, sometimes confusing, and there are so many momentum swings during the game.
“When the pressure is on, you have to be able to manage it emotionally. And the game is fast, physical and tests you as an athlete in an unbelievable way. We’re looking forward to getting those opportunities later in the tournament.”
Both countries took first place in their group in the Para Ice Hockey Round Robin Preliminary, winning all three games overall.
The United States, who have allowed just two goals against the four-time defending champions’ 34 goals, will face the Czech Republic in Friday’s semifinals, while Canada, who has allowed just one goal and allowed 26 goals, will face China.
“We’re both at a high level. Their players care just as much as we do, and they’re training just as hard,” said U.S. forward Kevin McKee. “And obviously we play such tight games, so you have to build competition and not hatred, like you love competing against them because it’s a good game.”
The United States is also aiming to make hockey history by becoming the first country to achieve a three-peat after winning Olympic gold medals in both the men’s and women’s competitions.
The United States swept all four world championships last year. There is currently no women’s category in the Paralympic Games, and it is classified as a gender-free sport.
“No team has ever won all three hockey gold medals at the Olympics and Paralympic Games, so I think that’s a noble goal, but obviously both the men and women have done it, so we’ve got to keep improving with each game and hopefully we can take one home,” said U.S. captain Josh Pauls.
Teammate Jack Wallace believes the Canadians are “licking their wounds right now after the Olympics” after losing to the United States in both gold medal matches.
“We know we’re right here trying to stop it,” Canada goalkeeper Corbin Watson said. “We come in with a new force. I know last year wasn’t the best… but this year we’ve worked really hard and done a lot of good things in training all year.
“So we have our eyes on the gold medal game… and we’re looking forward to Team USA coming for them.”
At the Olympics, the American men won gold for the first time since the Miracle on Ice in 1980, but at the Paralympic Games it was a different story.
The United States has won five of the last six Winter Paralympic Games, and several athletes are aiming for a fourth straight gold medal, with Pauls aiming for an astonishing fifth.
Canada has finished as runners-up in the last two Paralympics, but the Italian ice team may have been lucky as it won its only gold medal in Turin in 2006.
Greg Westlake, a member of the gold medal team, announced in August that he would step down from his assistant coaching role with the national team, come out of retirement, and rejoin his teammates on the ice.
“One of the reasons I came back to play this year was because I thought it would be really cool to finish where it all started,” the 39-year-old said. “I have really good memories from 2006.
“When I won the gold medal, I got flowers and I saw my mom in the stands and I threw her flowers and she was crying. And to this day, lining up at the blue line and singing ‘O Canada’ is one of the best memories of my life. I hope players who haven’t had that experience on the team can have that experience, because it’s a given for all players.”
