2021 wphc can kor

Para Worlds Preview: Canada vs. South Korea

Sunday, June 20 | 5 a.m. ET | Ostrava, Czech Republic | Preliminary Round

Jason La Rose
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June 20, 2021
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Stream: Canadian Paralympic Committee

Canada’s National Para Hockey Team is right back to action Sunday at the 2021 IPC World Para Hockey Championship, looking to build on its big win over the United States and take a stranglehold on Group A when it faces off against South Korea in a match-up of opening-day winners.

LAST GAME

Canada got its para worlds started exactly the way it needed to. James Dunn and Tyler McGregor provided power-play goals in the second period, Dominic Larocque was terrific in making 15 saves and the Canadians downed the U.S. 2-1 in their Group A opener. Larocque was at his best in the third period; after the Americans cut their deficit to one in the opening minute, the Quebec City product turned aside the final seven shots he faced to earn his team an important three points.

South Korea got a huge goaltending performance of its own, getting 18 saves from Jae Woong Lee in a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic. Jee Hyun Ryu and Seung Hwan Jung provided the offence for the Koreans, who were outshot 18-10 by the tournament hosts.

LAST MEETING

The Canadians and Koreans clashed in the semifinals at the 2019 para worlds (also in Ostrava), and it wasn’t close. Liam Hickey steered the ship with four goals and an assist, McGregor added two goals and two helpers and Larocque needed to just make three saves in a 10-0 win that sent Canada into the gold medal game.

WHAT TO WATCH

What will the goaltenders do for an encore? The puck-stoppers were the story in both Group A games Saturday, with Larocque and Lee combining to allow just a single goal on 34 shots. The Canadian will need to be ready for the opportunistic Koreans, while the Korean will need another star performance to slow down the high-powered Canadians.

A LOOK BACK

All Canada, all the time. The Canadians have never lost to South Korea, allowing just 14 goals across 29 wins.

The teams first met in a three-game series in Surrey, B.C., in January 2010 in the lead-up to the Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, and have been frequent foes ever since, facing off at the Paralympics, world championship and Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup.

Canada has hit double digits three times against the Koreans – in addition to the 2019 worlds match-up mentioned above, it scored a 10-0 win at the January 2016 World Sledge Hockey Challenge (2-3—5 for Billy Bridges) and a 10-1 victory at the December 2016 World Sledge Hockey Challenge (2-4—6 for Brad Bowden).

All-time record: Canada leads 29-0
Canada goals: 169
South Korea goals: 14

For more information:

Esther Madziya
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 284-6484 

[email protected] 

Spencer Sharkey
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 777-4567

[email protected]

Jeremy Knight
Manager, Corporate Communications
Hockey Canada

(647) 251-9738

[email protected]

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