WESTLAKE’S THREE POINTS LEAD CANADA TO OPENING SLEDGE WIN

NAGANO, Japan – Greg Westlake (Oakville, Ont.) scored once and added two assists as Canada’s National Sledge Team opened the 2012 Japan Four Nations Tournament with a 3-1 victory over Korea on Tuesday.

The game was only the fourth meeting since 2004 between the Canadians and Koreans – Canada swept a three-game series in Surrey, B.C., in January 2010, just prior to the Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

Canada’s power play did the damage, with Westlake converting with the man advantage late in the first period before helping set up Brad Bowden (Orton, Ont.) early in the second for a two-goal lead.

The Canadian captain added a second assist midway through the middle frame as Kevin Rempel (Vineland, Ont.) made it 3-0.

Canada got into penalty trouble early in the third period, and Korea’s Jung Seung Hwan ended the shutout bid of Canadian netminder Benoit St-Amand (St-Hubert, Que.) with a power play goal with 10 minutes to go, just seconds after a two-man advantage had expired.

The win was the 11th in a row for Canada, dating back to a 1-0 loss to Norway in Nagano last March.

The Canadians look to make it 2-0 in the preliminary round when it takes to the ice against the host Japanese on Wednesday (4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT).

Goals/Buts : 
11:43 CAN Greg Westlake (Marc Dorion) PP/AN

Penalties/Pénalités : 
06:43 KOR Lee Yong Min (Hooking/Accrocher)
11:03 KOR Cho Byeong Seuk (Elbowing/Donner du coude)

Goals/Buts : 
01:17 CAN Brad Bowden (Greg Westlake, Billy Bridges) PP/AN
06:30 CAN Kevin Rempel (Greg Westlake)

Penalties/Pénalités : 
00:43 KOR Park Woo Chul (Holding/Retenir)
02:51 CAN Derek Whitson (Teeing/Charge en T)

Goals/Buts : 
04:28 KOR Jung Seung Hwan (Park Woo Chul) PP/AN

Penalties/Pénalités : 
02:25 CAN Graeme Murray (Holding/Retenir)
03:50 CAN Derek Whitson (Teeing/Charge en T)
09:28 CAN Kieran Block (Charging/Assault)
11:25 KOR Han Min Su (Teeing/Charge en T)
14:50 KOR Jung Seung Hwan (Holding/Retenir)