Canada dented the United States鈥� recent dominance in para hockey with a 2-1 win for the gold medal in Sunday鈥檚 world championship final.
The Canadians had lost three straight world championship finals to the Americans, as well as the 2018 and 2022 Paralympic Games finals to the U.S.
Canada claimed its first world para title since 2017, and first on home ice.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been for myself seven years, and for many of us seven years since we鈥檝e won a world championship and to be quite honest, I鈥檝e, especially the past couple years, been bearing the weight of that,鈥� Canadian captain Tyler McGregor said. 鈥淚t is a relief.
鈥淚t hits different being able to sing your national anthem, especially with the road that we鈥檝e been on the past number of years.鈥�
Goaltender Adam Kingsmill of Smithers, B.C., was a difference-maker stopping 24 of 25 shots compared to seven of nine by his U.S. counterpart Jen Lee.
Dominic Cozzolino of Mississauga, Ont., scored his seventh goal of the tournament 35 seconds after the opening faceoff at Calgary鈥檚 WinSport Arena. Anton Jacobs-Webb of Gatineau, Que., made it 2-0 for the hosts in the second period.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long time since we鈥檝e got out to an early lead. That鈥檚 a different experience from the way we鈥檝e played them in the past,鈥� McGregor said. 鈥淲e played a responsible game defensively and had an outstanding goaltending performance from Kinger.鈥�
Tournament MVP Declan Framer scored in the third period for the U.S., which clashed with Canada for gold in a seventh straight world championship final. The U.S. suffered its first loss since October 2021.
鈥淲e鈥檇 like to survive the first shift without giving one up there, but I thought we settled in,鈥� U.S. coach David Hoff said. 鈥淎t the end of the period, we鈥檇 outshot them 8-1.
鈥淭hey were very efficient getting pucks out of the zone. They were very efficient about getting pucks in deep into the zone, making us work 200 feet if we鈥檙e going to do something. They did what they needed to do to win a hockey game.鈥�
The U.S. defeated Czechia 3-1 and Canada doubled China 2-1 in the semifinals. The Czechs edged China 3-2 for the bronze medal earlier Sunday.
Canada鈥檚 power play was 0 for 2, but held the U.S. to 0 for 3 with a man advantage. Framer halved the deficit with 3:41 remaining for his 11th of the tournament. The Americans mounted a furious push for an equalizer, but Kingsmill was up to the task.
鈥淲e were able to handle a team that鈥檚 a high-octane offence and keep them to bad ice for most of the game,鈥� Canadian head coach Russ Herrington said. 鈥淭hat allowed us to put Kingsmill in a position where he could shine.鈥�
Canada鈥檚 goalie was swarmed by his teammates at the buzzer. He stopped Evan Nichols on a breakaway in the second period and denied Jack Wallace from close range during a U.S. power play in the first.
鈥淭his might be my first win against the United States,鈥� Kingsmill said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long process for all of us and especially a lot of the guys who have been around for a long time.鈥�
Jacobs-Webb gave the hosts a 2-0 lead in the second period when he cruised into the slot to convert a behind-the-net feed from McGregor.
Canada led by a goal after just 35 seconds when Cozzolino at the side of the U.S. net. collected a Rob Armstrong shot from long range and tucked the puck into the opening to Lee鈥檚 left.
鈥淲e put so much into this,鈥� Cozzolino said. 鈥淲earing this jersey and from everything we鈥檝e been through over the past seven years, this is what it鈥檚 all for. Man, this is the best ever.鈥�
The world para hockey championship was held in Canada for the first time in 2023 in Moose Jaw, Sask., where the U.S. defeated Canada 6-1 for the title.
The first world para hockey championship was held in 2008. Canada won its fourth gold medal Sunday.
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