Canada secured a spot in the gold-medal match at the International Para Hockey Cup after a dominant 9-1 victory over Italy on Friday. Tyler McGregor, hailing from Forest, Ont., led the charge with a hat trick and two assists as the team cruised to victory.
Auren Halbert from Calgary contributed with two goals and two assists, while the experienced Greg Westlake from Oakville, Ont., netted his first goal for Canada since March 2022. Westlake, a five-time Paralympian and former captain, returned to play after two years as an assistant coach for the national team.
Additional goals for Canada came from James Dunn (Wallacetown, Ont.), Dominic Cozzolino (Mississauga, Ont.), and Micah Kovacevich (Edmonton). Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.) and Anton Jacobs-Webb (Gatineau, Que.) each tallied three assists in the game.
Adam Kingsmill, representing Smithers, B.C., made six crucial saves as Canada dominated Italy with a 35-7 shot advantage. The team is now set to compete for the gold medal against either China or the United States in the final match scheduled for Sunday.