OVERTIME LOSS FOR CANADA IN SLEDGE DEVELOPMENT SERIES OPENER

LONDON, Ont. – Chris Cedarstrand (Okotoks, Alta.) scored with just 1:38 left in the third period to force overtime, but Canada’s National Sledge Development Team dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to the United States in the opener of a three-game series Wednesday.

It was the first game for the development team since the Americans swept three games from Canada in a series at the MasterCard Centre in Toronto, Ont., last March.

Canadian goaltender Dustan Hamar (Edmonton, Alta.) and his American counterpart, Kyle Huckaby, were the story through two-and-a-half periods, keeping the game scoreless until Josh Misiewicz broke through for the U.S. at 7:04 of the third.

Misiewicz’s goal looked like it would stand up as the winner until Kevin Sorley (Petersburg, Ont.) and Jordan Cullum (Burlington, Ont.) set up Cedarstrand to tie the game with time running out.

But Misiewicz would spoil the Canadian comeback, scoring just shy of the three-minute mark of overtime to give the U.S. the victory.

Hamar finished with 14 saves, while Huckaby made nine stops for the win in the American goal.

The U.S. held a 16-10 advantage in shots on goal.

The series continues Thursday at the Western Fair Sports Centre with a 4:15 p.m. ET puck drop before wrapping up Friday night, with the finale getting underway at 7:30 p.m. ET.