CANADA BEATS JAPAN 11-1 IN SEMIS, STILL UNDEFEATED IN LONDON

LONDON, Ont. – Bradley Bowden (Orton, Ont.) set off a scoring streak for Canada in the first five minutes of semifinal action Friday night, en route to an impressive 11-1 victory over Japan, for four straight wins at the 2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge and a trip to the gold medal game.

Billy Bridges (Summerside, P.E.I.) followed up Bowden’s opener at 4:11 on the clock with two goals of his own, netting one at 7:40 and the other at 10:02 on a powerplay, when he converted a cross-ice pass from Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.) to make it 3-0 going into the intermission.

Anthony Gale (Brampton, Ont.) kept the momentum going for the Canadians in the second, notching a markerat3:16 in the period, and within 28 seconds Bowden was able to score his second of the night to make it5-0.

Japan’s lone goal came from Satoru Sudo a couple of minutes later, when Canadian goaltender Corbin Watson (Kingsville, Ont.) allowed just his second goal of the tournament. Canada continued to find the back of the net with ease, adding three more goals in the latter half of the period for an 8-1 lead heading into the final frame.

Marc Dorion (Bourget, Ont.) kicked off the third by scoring just 48 seconds into the period. Bowden quickly followed suit with another of his own for the only hat trick of the night. Dorion topped it off for his fourth goal of the 2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge and the final 11-1 score in favour of Canada.

Canada takes on Norway in the gold medal matchup Saturday at 2 p.m. ET, with the game airing on TSN2 at6p.m. ET. Japan will face off against the United States at 10 a.m. ET inside the Western Fair Sports Centre.

Penalties:
   00:56 CAN 12 Greg Westlake (Interference)
   01:18 CAN 29 Graeme Murray (Holding)
   09:36 JPN 13 Mamoru Yoshikawa (Interference)
   17:17 JPN 55 Kazuhiro Takahashi (Hooking)
   18:28 JPN 13 Mamoru Yoshikawa (Interference)

Penalties:
   08:44 CAN 12 Greg Westlake (Roughing)

Penalties:
   10:54 CAN 11 Adam Dixon (High Sticking)
   12:01 JPN 13 Mamoru Yoshikawa (Roughing)
   16:13 CAN 21 Raymond Grassi (Closing Hand on Puck)