DORION’S HAT TRICK LEADS CANADA IN TOURNAMENT-OPENING ROMP

CALGARY, Alta. – Marc Dorion (Bourget, Ont.) scored a hat trick and added an assist to pace the offence as Canada’s National Sledge Team opened the 2012 World Sledge Hockey Challenge with an 11-0 rout of Japan on Sunday night.

The Canadians kicked off defence of their gold medal with their third-largest margin of victory ever at the tournament; only wins over Norway (14-0) and Japan (12-0) on back-to-back days at the April 2011 event were bigger.

Graeme Murray (Gravenhurst, Ont.) was the only other Canadian to score more than once, connecting twice in an eight-goal first period that tied the tournament mark for goals in a period.

Brad Bowden (Orton, Ont,), Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.), Dominic Larocque (Quebec City, Que.), Brendan Blanchard (Chatham, Ont.), Kieran Block (Edmonton, Alta.) and Kevin Rempel (Vineland, Ont.) had the other goals for Canada, which got points from 12 different players.

Billy Bridges (Summerside, P.E.I.) joined Dorion as high scorer thanks to a four-assist effort, while Block and Greg Westlake (Oakville, Ont) had three points apiece.

Rookie forward Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.) picked up his first career points in his national team debut, registering two assists, while Blanchard recorded his first point on his first-period goal.

Canadian netminder Benoit St-Amand (St-Hubert, Que.) was not busy, making just two saves to record the shutout, none after the first period. Canada held a 28-2 advantage in shots on goal.

Canada is right back at it Monday afternoon, meeting Norway in the day’s matinee contest (noon MT), while Japan looks to rebound when it faces the U.S. in the night cap (7 p.m. MT).

Penalties:
   01:11 CAN   (Too Many Men)
   01:58 JPN 16 Taimei Shiba (Teeing)
   04:07 JPN 27 Mikio Annaka (Roughing)
   07:43 JPN 29 Tomohiko Maruo (Teeing)

Penalties:
   None

Penalties:
   00:07 CAN 23 Kieran Block (Holding)
   04:26 CAN 24 Brendan Blanchard (Teeing)
   09:09 JPN 27 Mikio Annaka (High Sticking)
   13:02 JPN 29 Tomohiko Maruo (Match)
   13:02 CAN 23 Kieran Block (Roughing)