Canada, USA and South Korea lined up across the ice receiving their medals. Thousands of fans crowd the stands on the near and far side of the ice. A blue carpet pathway has been laid out.
By: Anthony McLachlan, AMI Presenter and Host
The last day of the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games had a level of unspoken tension, as Canada and the United Sates were set to wrap up PyeongChang with a classic matchup at the Gangneung Hockey Centre. As you can imagine the Paralympics are no different from the Olympics, and there isn't a lot of love between these two nations when they take the ice. Unfortunately for the Canadians it didn’t end the way they hoped, but from the drop of the puck, it was truly an incredible hockey game.
Things started positively for the Canucks as forward Billy Bridges opened the scoring after receiving a cross-ice pass from Ben Delaney. Bridges let go one of his infamously hard wristers, beating US goaltender Steve Cash above the glove with under three minutes to go in the first. The score remained 1-0 for almost the entire game but there was still a lot to get excited about. Quality scoring opportunities, huge open ice hits and exceptional goaltending from Dominic Larocque and Cash kept the crowd on the edge of their seats.
Late in the third period the Americans entered full desperation mode pulling their netminder for the extra attacker. Canada had a chance to ice the game when Rob Armstrong took the puck up the right wing, protecting it between his right hip and the boards he worked his way deep into the offensive zone. With the angle to an empty net quickly vanishing and with pressure on his left, Armstrong was forced to shoot with his less dominant hand. With the game on his stick Armstrong let one go and rang it off the iron. Back in the Canadian zone, and with 37 seconds left on the clock, a redirection off a sled to the left side of the net forced the puck to the right… and to American Declan Farmer. With time and space, Farmer made no mistake putting away the equalizing goal. Farmer’s heroics weren't done though, in overtime he weaved his way into the slot, loaded up a right-handed shot and found the top left corer giving USA Paralympic gold with a final score of 2-1.
After the medal ceremonies, I spoke with Canadian captain Greg Westlake, who said: “It’s a tough loss, but right now all the guys are just telling each other how much they love one another.” Personally, I am proud of what this team accomplished, from watching their practices in Port Colborne, Ontario to every match at the Games, the work they put in was incredible. They should be happy with how they played the tournament – their accomplishments on and off the ice are not to be overlooked. The 2018 Paralympic Winter Games as a whole were hugely successful for Canada. Together, the athletes collected a record-breaking 28 medals.
What an amazing experience this has been! It was a privilege to be a part of the growing Paralympic movement, there are so many people behind the scenes who care a lot about these Games and hopefully in time it will get the coverage it deserves. The Paralympic Games exemplify a raw human spirt you will not find anywhere else. I want to thank the families, athletes, volunteers, organizers and most importantly the people of Korea for being so accommodating and showing us who they really are – proud, caring, and joyful people. As for our audience, as broadcasters we at AMI recognize why it’s so important for us to be a part of the Games, we have an important roll to play representing you and bringing great stories to the community. Remember, our documentary detailing the Games and sharing the stories of some of Canada’s talented athletes will air in late April. Until then, thank you for your continued support.