Lipsett Records Three Goals and an Assist

HAMAR, Norway - Taylor Lipsett (Richardson, Texas) scored three goals and added an assist to help the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team to a 5-1 victory over Korea in the gold-medal game of the 2012 International Paralympic Committee Sledge Hockey World Championship here tonight at the Olympic Amphitheatre.

"It's a great feeling to be world champions," said Jeff Sauer, head coach of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. "I'm glad for the guys because they worked really hard throughout the whole tournament. It was a great team effort."

Josh Pauls (South Plainfield, N.J.) opened the scoring for Team USA at 2:57 of the first period when he crashed the net and banged home a rebound. The U.S. outshot Korea, 8-2, in the opening frame and held a 1-0 lead at the first intermission.

Lipsett tallied his first goal of the game at 2:54 of the second period when he drove to the net on a sharp angle and beat Korea goaltender Man Gyun Yu. At 5:12, Alexi Salamone (Grand Island, N.Y) found Lipsett streaking down the slot and he banged the puck into the net for his second goal of the game. Salamone tallied a goal of his own at 12:08 with an assist credited to Lipsett to give the U.S. a 4-0 lead heading into the final period.

Korea got on the board at 1:34 of the third period, but Lipsett responded with his third goal of the game 17 seconds later to secure the 5-1 win for Team USA.

Steve Cash (Overland, Mo.) made seven saves in the victory, while Yu and Young Hoon Chung combined to make 17 saves for Korea.

NOTES: Taylor Lipsett was named Team USA's Player of the Game ... Goaltender Steve Cash, defenseman Taylor Chace (Hampton Falls, N.H.) and forward Alexi Salamone made the all-tournament team ... Team USA finished the tournament with a 3-1-1-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record. ... The U.S. has claimed gold in the last two IPC Sledge Hockey World Championships (2009, 2012) and has now medaled in the last four world championships (2012-gold, 2009-gold, 2008-bronze, 2004-silver). The IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship was first staged in 1996 and has been conducted six times (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2012) ... For a complete 2011-12 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team roster, including bios, click here ... All games from the 2012 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championships were streamed live here, while live scoring was found here ... Taylor Chace is serving as a captain for the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team, while Taylor Lipsett is the alternate captain ... Team USA is the defending champion of the event ... The U.S. National Sled Hockey Team has participated in two previous competitions this season. Team USA captured second place in the World Sled Hockey Challenge in Calgary, Alta., (Nov. 27-Dec. 3) and posted a 1-0-0-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record against Canada in an exhibition series in Williamsville, N.Y., (Feb. 23-25).

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

USA 1- 3- 1- 5
KOR 0- 0- 1- 1

First Period - Scoring: 1, USA, Pauls (unassisted), 2:57. Penalties: KOR, Lee (elbowing), 10:19.

Second Period - Scoring: 2, USA, Lipsett (unassisted), 2:54; 3, USA, Lipsett (Salamone), (pp), 5:12; 4, USA, Salamone (Lipsett), 12:08. Penalties: KOR, Park (interference), 4:32; USA, McCoy (interference), 7:24.

Third Period - Scoring: 5, KOR, Lee (Jung), 1:34; 6, USA, Lipsett (unassisted), 1:51. Penalties: KOR, Park (holding), 5:25.

Shots by Period
1
2
3
Total
USA 8 7 7 22
KOR 2 3 3 8

Goaltenders (SH/SV) 1 2 3 Total
USA, Cash, 41:31 2/2 3/3 3/2 8/7
USA, Lee, 3:29 -- -- 0/0 0/0
KOR, Yu, 27:08 8/7 6/3 -- 14/10
KOR, Chung, 17:52 -- 1/1 7/6 8/7

Power Play: USA 1-3; KOR 0-1
Penalties: USA 1-2; KOR 3-6

Team USA 2012 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship Schedule
Hamar, Norway

Date Opponent Time (Local/EDT)
Sun., March 25 Estonia W, 2-1 (SO)
Mon., March 26 Czech Republic L, 1-2 (SO)
Wed., March 28 Japan W, 5-0
Thur., March 29 Canada (Semifinals) W, 2-1
Sun., April 1 Korea (Gold-Medal Game) W, 5-1

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