Billy Bridges (Summerside, PE) scored a hat trick and Greg Westlake (Oakville, ON) and HervaLord (St-Pamphile, QC) added two goals each as Canada kicked off the 2008 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship with a resounding 11-0 win over Italy on Saturday afternoon in Marlborough, MA.

Canada's big line of Bridges, Westlake and Bradley Bowden (Orton, ON) combined for 11 points to lead the way for Canada in what they hope is the first game on a march towards gold.

The Canadians came out firing against the overwhelmed Italians, generating scoring chances even when shorthanded and holding a 9-1 advantage in shots on goal through the opening 15 minutes.

It took just six minutes for Lord to open the scoring, as he took a pass in the slot from Shawn Matheson (Chatham, NB) and beat Italian goaltender Santino Stillitano.

Strong work by Canada's top line led to the second goal of the opening period, as Bridges fought off an Italian defenseman behind the net and left the puck for Bowden, who spotted a wide-open Westlake in front. Westlake made no mistake from in close, giving Canada a 2-0 lead heading to the intermission.

Just 21 seconds after the second periods opening face-off, Canada increased their lead as Bowden found Westlake in the slot once again, and the Canadian sniper buried the opportunity.Bridges and Marc Dorion (Bourget, ON), who finished with three points of his own, scored before the end of the middle frame as Canada returned to their dressing room up 5-0 after 30 minutes.

It was all Canada in the third period, as the team in red pushed the lead to 7-0 and chased Stillitano from the Italian goal before the midway point of the period on goals from Bridges and Todd Nicholson (Kinburn, ON).
Stillitano's replacement, Roberto Kanestrin, fared no better, as Canada beat him four times on six shots to provide the final margin of victory.

Lord, Raymond Grassi (Windsor, ON), Graeme Murray (Gravenhurst, ON) and Bridges, with his hat trick goal, rounded out the scoring for Canada, who held Italy without a shot on goal in the final period.

Canadian netminder Paul Rosen (Thornhill,ON) needed to make just three saves to record the shutout.

The National Sledge Team returns to the ice at the New England Sports Center on Sunday night when they face Germany, with the opening face-off set for 7:00 p.m. ET.