Goaltender Jen Lee earned a shutout and Declan Farmer netted a hat trick in USA's dominate 10-0 win over Czechia on day one of the Para Hockey Cup.
The U.S. Men's National Sled Hockey Team took the ice this morning at Lununburg County Lifestyle Center in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia for their opening game of the 2022 Para Hockey Cup. U.S.A. opened the tournament with a dominant 10-0 win over Team Czechia.
Jen Lee started in net for Team U.S.A. Lee entered the game with a 19-1 record in international play including 14 previous shut outs. Czechia started goaltender Martin Kudela.
Team U.S.A. got on the board early in the first period with goals at 3:10 and 4:15 compliments of forwards David Eustace and Kevin McKee respectively. Ben Musselman added two goals in the opening period at 6:17 and 12:49 to give U.S.A. a 4-0 lead after the first period.
The first period momentum carried over early in the second period with sled hockey standouts Declan Farmer and Brody Roybal adding goals in the first two and a half minutes. After Roybal's goal at 2:37, Czechia pulled Kudela and brought in 49 year old Michal Vapenka in net. Vapenka faced a barrage of shots as the second period continued, and at 6:56 Travis Dodson made it 7-0 U.S.A.
Declan Farmer snagged a steal in the neutral zone, sprinted into the offensive zone, and scored a highlight reel goal at 7:23. Czechia played most of the second period in the defensive zone, and U.S.A. led the shot count 12-1 in the middle period.
Farmer scored his hat trick goal at 5:48 in the third period to give U.S.A. a 9-0 lead. Czechia tried to set up a handful of breakaway chances but couldn't connect on the long passes. Jack Wallace scored U.S.A.'s tenth goal of the game with a top shelf goal off a face off. As the game wound down, U.S.A. focused on possessing the puck more than scoring, and the game ended 10-0.
U.S.A. dominated time of possession and recorded 34 shots on goal compared to Czechia's 9. Jen Lee easily handled any pucks that came his way and earned his fifteenth shutout of his international career. Declan Farmer finished the game with three goals and two assists and Ben Musselman had two goals and two assists.
Team U.S.A. takes on Italy Monday at 9:00 am CST. The game broadcast can be found here.