CANADA FALLS TO USA IN SHOOTOUT IN OPENER OF THREE-GAME SERIES

For just the second time in 11 games during the 2007-08 season, Canada’s National Sledge Team has found itself on the losing end of a game.

Billy Bridges (Summerside, PE) got Canada on the board after just 86 seconds of play, but that would be all the offence they could muster as the USA pulled out a 2-1 win in a shootout on Thursday night in Prince George, BC.

The game was the first of a three-game set in the northern British Columbia city; the teams will play a matinee on Friday (12:30 p.m. PT) before wrapping up the series on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. PT).

Bridges and Greg Westlake (Oakville, ON) continued their hot play early as they hooked up on the game’s opening goal, with Westlake setting up Bridges for his team-leading ninth goal of the year.

But the lead would not even last the period, as Taylor Lipsett pulled the Americans even with just 1:16 to go in the opening frame, beating Canadian netminder Paul Rosen (Thornhill, ON).

Rosen and American counterpart Steve Cash shut the door over the final 30 minutes of regulation and five minutes of overtime, as Rosen turned away all eight shots he faced and Cash stopped all 13 directed his way.

But the Canadians were unable to send the crowd home happy, as Alexi Salamone netted the game-winner in the shootout, giving the Americans their first win in five games against Canada this season.

CAN Roster/Alignement 22 Benoît St-Amand 57 Paul Rosen 11 Adam Dixon 17 Jean Labonté 21 Raymond Grassi 34 Mark Noot 3 Hervé Lord 4 Derek Whitson 7 Marc Dorion 8 Jeremy Booker 9 Dany Verner 10 Shawn Matheson 12 Greg Westlake 18 Billy Bridges 19 Todd Nicholson 20 Steve Arsenault 27 Bradley Bowden 29 Graeme Murray	USA Roster/Alignement 22 Mike Blabac 67 Steve Cash 3 Tim Jones 4 Jim Connelly 17 Mike Hallman 23 Nick Teodoro 44 Chris Manns 5 Brad Emmerson 7 Taylor Lipsett 8 Greg Shaw 20 Adam Page 21 Alexi Salamone 22 Bruce Nelson 25 Bubba Torres 26 Taylor Chace