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We are the 2015 world champion sled hockey team! After a game in which we battled Canada for 45 minutes, the score favored us by three goals to begin our reign as world champions. Canada played a terrific game but fortunately we were able to overcome their stout defense. It took a while as the first 30 minutes were scoreless – although we had two shots ring off the post – but once that first one went in from teen superstar Declan Farmer, the floodgates opened. Adam Page – who set a record for most points in a single world championship by a U.S. player – found Dan McCoy open for another goal to give us the insurance marker. Brody Roybal – who was a wrecking ball out on the ice today – found me for the empty-netter to give us the 3-0 win! Cash was his usual self – stopping all the shots he faced today for his fourth shutout in the last six gold-medal games we’ve played.
This was a season of firsts. It was the first time we defeated Canada in prelims of the World Sled Hockey Challenge and the first time we went undefeated at that same tournament. It was also the first time we swept Canada in our annual three-game series. All of it wrapped up in us completing our first-ever undefeated season. Another first was the fact that NBC Sports Group live streamed the entire tournament.
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I cannot express enough how great the support has been within the city of Buffalo and throughout the United States. Having so many people tweet, Facebook and message us after the win was something out of this world. I am very thankful to have such great support from fans, teammates and staff. We all played our hearts out and it came to fruition as we achieved our goal of a gold medal at worlds. Every one of my teammates is one of my brothers, and together with our staff we are a family. We all united to achieve our goal and with our collective strength we did. I am very honored and proud of all we have accomplished, topping off an undefeated season in the best way possible. So glad you could join me and us for the ride.
Signing off,
Spud Pauls
