TORONTO, Ont. – Canada’s National Sledge Team welcomes Korea, Russia and the United States to Toronto starting Sunday, as four of the top sledge hockey teams in the world go for gold at the 2013 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, Dec. 1-7 at the MasterCard Centre for Hockey Excellence.

The tournament is the last major international event before the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, which will be held March 7-16 in Sochi, Russia.

Canada’s National Sledge Team is looking for its fifth gold medal at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge, having won in November 2011 in Calgary, Alta., April 2011 in London, Ont., 2008 in Charlottetown, P.E.I., and 2007 in Kelowna, B.C. Canada claimed the silver medal at the 2009 tournament in Charlottetown, and last year in Calgary.

Canada opens the 2013 World Sledge Hockey Challenge against Korea at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, Dec. 1. The Canadians also play Russia at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Dec. 2 and the United States at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 4 in preliminary round action. Semifinals are scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 5 at 1 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. ET, while the puck drops Saturday, Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. ET for the bronze medal game and at 7:30 p.m. ET for the gold medal game.

The gold medal game of the 2013 World Sledge Hockey Challenge will be aired on TSN/RDS, official broadcasters of Hockey Canada. Please check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.

All preliminary round games, as well as the semifinals and bronze medal game, will be webcast at www.hockeycanada.ca/wshc.

Single-game tickets are available, with admission to the six preliminary round games, both semifinals and the bronze medal game on sale for just $10, while gold medal game tickets are only $15 apiece. Full-tournament ticket packages, including access to all 10 games, are available for just $35 each. Prices do not include applicable fees. For ticket information, including how to purchase, CLICK HERE.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Jason La Rose, Hockey Canada’s manager of content services, will be on-site during the 2013 World Sledge Hockey Challenge and can be reached for tournament information and interview requests at 403-703-8791 or [email protected].

For more information on the 2013 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/wshc, and follow all the action from Calgary via social media at www.facebook.com/worldsledge or www.twitter.com/hc_wshc.