Canada to compete for wheelchair curling gold
Three stolen points in the final end propelled the Canadian wheelchair curling team, featuring Kipling’s Gild Dash, to an 8-7 comeback victory over South Korea in the semifinals, earning them a spot in the gold-medal final.
Canada was on the board first in the game, picking up a double in the first end, but Korea scored a pair of their own points in the second and followed that up with a steal of two to take the 4-2 lead after three.
The Canadians then scored in back-to-back ends earning a single in the fourth and stealing another in the fifth to tie the game at four apiece.
In sixth end, Korea scored a triple to lead 7-4 and the Canadians were only able to close the gap by one in the seventh end, which meant that the Koreans had a two-point lead and control of the hammer heading into the eighth end.
However, in that final end, Canada was able to get on the button early and multiple times, as well as set up guards that proved too difficult for Korea to get around as they missed their final shot while Canada counted three touching the button.
With the victory, Canada maintains their undefeated record in Milano Cortina and will put it to the final test against China, when they play for gold on Saturday morning at 8:05 a.m. SK time.
Para ice hockey team to battle for gold
For the third Paralympics in a row, Canada and the United States will play for the gold medal, after the Canadians defeated China 4-2 in the semifinal game on Day 7.
Captain Tyler McGregor opened the scoring for Canada in the first period with a powerplay goal six minutes and five seconds into the frame and followed that up with another score just over four-and-a-half minutes later. However, China cut the deficit to one with a powerplay goal of their own with 24 seconds remaining in the period.
The only goal of the second period happened just before the one-minute mark and it belonged to China, allowing them to tie the game at two.
That stalemate continued until 8:53 into the third period when Canadian Dominic Cozzolino’s shot was deflected off a Chinese player and into their net, giving the red and white the go-ahead goal. Liam Hickey then increased the gap to two goals at 10:48 and that score carried through to the final whistle.
Canada’s goaltender Corbin Watson made 9 saves on 11 shots in the game, while across the ice, Wei Want went 17-for-21 in net for China.
Saskatoon’s Dean Seymour is joining the Canadian squad as a video coach.
Hudak finishes ninth in sprint pursuit
In her penultimate event of the Paralympics, Brittany Hudak finished ninth in the Para biathlon women’s sprint pursuit standing event on Day 7, with a time of 13 minutes and 51.3 seconds after earning one shooting penalty. She was 1:33.3 seconds behind her teammate and gold-medal winner Natalie Wilkie.
Hudak finished the qualification race with a time of 11:34.8 with one shooting penalty, good enough for eighth place and a spot in the finals.
The Prince Albert product will compete in her final event of the Games on Sunday morning.
Oatway records DNF in giant slalom event
Competing in his first of two runs in the men’s giant slalom sitting event on Day 7, Kurt Oatway recorded a Did Not Finish, which prevented him from advancing to the second run.
Oatway, who began is Para alpine career in Regina, will be back on the hill Sunday morning to compete in his last event of the Paralympics, the men’s slalom sitting. His first run will be at 3:05 a.m. SK time, followed by his second at 6:00 a.m.
Upcoming Saskatchewan Competition
Saturday will mark Day 8 of the Paralympics and the second-last day of competition with one Saskatchewan connection in action in the form of Gil Dash and the Canadian wheelchair curling team will play for gold at 8:05 a.m. SK time.
Paralympic Notes: Natalie Wilkie claimed not only her own, but also Canada’s, second gold medal of the Paralympics on Day 7 in the Para biathlon women’s sprint pursuit standing event…Canada’s medal count: 11 (2 Gold, 3 Silver and 6 Bronze).