Canada 2 - United States 0

Series vs USA
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Kanata, ON
Bell Sensplex Arena

Five hundred and fifty one people packed into the Bell Sensplex Arena in Kanata (ON) Saturday evening to watch Team Canada win the second game of the three game showdown against Team USA over the weekend.

The night’s events began with a thirty minute exhibition game featuring players from Team Canada and a roster of Sens alumni and media representatives followed by a skills competition between Team USA and Team Canada.

The competition began with a breakaway relay. Each team selected four players in two groups of two and a goalie to participate. The teams competed simultaneously at either end of the ice.

In the final round Team Canada’s Billy Bridges, took the win with two goals.

The second competition of the night, the fastest skater race, was won by Team Canada’s Marc Noot who made it around the rink in just 21 seconds in the final round.

The final competition, the hardest shot, was also won by Team Canada. Bridges shot a speed of 94 km/h. Team USA’s James Dunhamm III took second with a speed of 83 km/h.

Sparticat, the Ottawa Senators’ mascot, made an appearance to help pump up the crowd and dropped the puck at centre ice for the official opening face off between each team’s captains.

Ten-year-old, Tess Megginson did the honour of singing the national anthems.

The game opened with a goal by Bridges of Team Canada at 1:16 of the first period, assisted by Raymond Grassi and Greg Westlake.

Team USA managed two shots on Canada throughout the first period but Canada held its lead.

During the second period Canada remained steady keeping its 1-0 lead through forty minutes.

As the second period ended, Grassi was examined by the team’s trainer and left the ice for further care. Grassi had been jabbed by a stick when it managed to poke through his mask hitting his face close to his eye. Grassi did experience swelling in the area but was able to return to the ice for the third period.

With less than a minute and a half left in the game Team USA pulled its goalie leaving an open net for Team Canada. With 1:07 left on the clock, Bridges scored his second goal of the night, unassisted.

Team Canada’s goalie Paul Rosen got the win and the shutout, blocking all nine of Team USA’s shots for the evening.

The player of the game award for Team USA was given to Alexi Salamon.

Bridges, who scored all of the goals of the night’s game and had two wins in the skills competition, was awarded player of the game for Team Canada.

This was Team Canada’s second win of the three game International Sledge Hockey Showdown against its rivals, Team USA.