Canada's National Sledge Development Team to Face United States in Three-Game Series in Amherstburg, Ont.

CALGARY, Alta. – Canada’s National Sledge Development Team will face the United States’ development team in a three-game series, February 2-4, at the UCCU Complex in Amherstburg, Ont. Admission to all three games is free.

Canada swept all six games from the U.S. during the 2010-11 season, outscoring the Americans 15-3.

Canada’s National Sledge Development Team was created to help elite-level sledge hockey players not chosen for Canada’s National Sledge Team get an opportunity to get international experience with hopes of developing their skills for future national team duty.

Nine players (Bazinet, Biermann, Blanchard, Gilmour, Ludwig, Rigden, Sinclair, Tessier, Verner) played last year with Canada’s National Sledge Development Team, while three players (Cullum, Rigden, Verner) have previous experience with Canada’s National Sledge Team.

Head coach Todd Sargeant (London, Ont.) will be joined on the bench by two former members of Canada’s National Sledge Team, with Hervé Lord (St-Pamphile, Que.) and Todd Nicholson (Kinburn, Ont.) serving as assistant coaches. Lord and Nicholson are two of Canada’s most decorated sledge hockey players – both played in five Paralympics and five IPC Sledge Hockey World Championships, and have close to 40 years combined experience with the national team.

Follow Hockey Canada’s sledge hockey program online at www.HockeyCanada.ca, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HCSledge and on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/HC_Sledge.