GOALTENDERS STAND TALL, BUT SLEDGE DEVELOPMENT TEAM DROPS SERIES FINALE

TORONTO, Ont. – Chris Wood (London, Ont.) and Dustan Hamar (Edmonton, Alta.) combined to make 13 saves, but an American goal with 2:35 to go was the difference as Canada’s National Sledge Development Team was blanked 2-0 by the United States in the finale of a three-game series on Saturday afternoon.

The Canadians, who came in to the series with an 8-4 all-time record against the North American rivals, were swept after a 4-1 loss on Thursday night and a 3-2 shootout setback on Friday.

Wood made 11 saves over the first two periods, including seven in the first, before giving way to Hamar, who turned away two of the three shots he faced in the final 15 minutes.

Wood’s seven stops in the first were one more than American netminder Justin Kreger had to make in the entire game – the U.S. held a 15-6 advantage in shots on goal.

Thanks to the play of Wood and Hamar, it looked as if overtime would be needed for the second day in a row, until Chris Douglas opened the scoring at the 12:25 mark of the third period.

Dan McDevitt added insurance for the Americans into an empty net with just five seconds remaining.

Both teams went 0-for-1 on the power play. In total there were only three man advantages in the entire series – two for the Canadians and one for the U.S.