Canada secured a spot in the gold-medal match of the International Para Hockey Cup after a dominant 9-1 victory over Italy on Friday. Tyler McGregor, the team captain hailing from Forest, Ont., led the charge with a hat trick and two assists. Auren Halbert from Calgary contributed with two goals and two assists, while Greg Westlake, a veteran from Oakville, Ont., scored his first goal for Canada since March 2022. Westlake, a five-time Paralympian and former team captain, returned to playing this season after a two-year stint as an assistant coach with the national program.
Adding to the scoreline were James Dunn from Wallacetown, Ont., Dominic Cozzolino from Mississauga, Ont., and Micah Kovacevich from Edmonton. Assists were provided by Adam Dixon from Midland, Ont., and Anton Jacobs-Webb from Gatineau, Que., each tallying three assists.
Adam Kingsmill of Smithers, B.C., made six saves as Canada dominated Italy with a 35-7 shot advantage. The Canadian team is set to face either China or the United States in the gold medal showdown on Sunday.