Canada thrashes Japan 18-0 to avenge Olympic sledge hockey defeat
Source: The Canadian Press

ROCHESTER, N.Y. _ Revenge came swiftly Wednesday for head coach Mike Mondin and Canada's sledge hockey team. Adam Dixon had three goals and three assists to power Canada past Japan 18-0 in the Three Nation exhibition series and get some redemption for its startling loss to the Japanese at theParalympics in Vancouver. Japan stunned Canada 3-1 in the Paralympics semifinal in March.

The Canadians couldn't overcome the bitter disappointment of the defeat, eventually losing to Norway in the bronze medal game to finish fourth.Ten members of the 16-player Canadian team were part of the squad that lost to Japan in Vancouver but Mondin,who was an assistant coach in B.C., said revenge was never discussed. It didn't really need to be, he said. Coming into the game it (revenge) was on our minds but it was something we never talked about it as a team, Mondin said. But for the returning players from last year's team, yeah, this was something weighing real heavy on their minds. Certainly it was a motivating factor. Marc Dorion added three goals and two assists for Canada, which fired 53 shots on goal, while Kevin Rempel, Greg Westlake and Anthony Gale add scored twice.

Billy Bridges, Dominic Larocque, Bradley Bowden, Graeme Murray, Derek Whitson and Jordan Cullum had the other goals. Goaltender Benoit St-Amand stopped five shots. Mondin and the Canadian team don't have much time to enjoy the win. Canada takes on the archrival Americans on Thursday. It's going to be a real tough game, Mondin said.The last two years they've been the best in the world so we have to be at our very best to win the game. Canada and the U.S. played three times in Toronto last month, with every contest going to a shoot out. But the Canadians emerged victorious twice. We want to continue where we left off in Toronto, Mondin said. Canada wasted little time taking control of its contest versus Japan, storming out to a 5-0 lead. The Canadians put the game out of reach in the second, outscoring Japan 8-0 for a commanding 13-goal advantage heading into the final period.

But Mondin said it was important the Canadians not let up against the Japanese. Between the second and third periods we talked about having to go out there and keep developing good habits as a team, he said. We talked as a group that it's business between the first minute and last minute and it has to be that way. The focus has to be there and its the responsibility of the players that they execute in that fashion. Mondin said the key against the U.S. will be Canada's ability to beat their opponents to the loose puck and move it quickly and under control. If we do that, we can avoid playing in our end a lot against the U.S. They've got a team that's relentless on its fore check. In the neutral zone they'll come at us hard,bang and crash and through quick puck movement we can trap some of their players up ice and create some outnumbered attacks. That's one way we can generate real good scoring chances.

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