January 23, 2008

Chace picks up assist in win over Japan in
The 2008 Sledge Hockey International Match

ASAHIKAWA, Japan – Chris Manns (Buffalo, N.Y.) tied the game with 38 seconds left in regulation and Taylor Lipsett (Mesquite, Texas) tallied the winning goal in a shootout to give the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team to a 2-1 victory over host Japan in the opening round-robin game for both teams of the 2008 Japan Paralympic Ice Sledge Hockey International Match here tonight at the Daisetsu Arena.

Daisuke Uehara scored on the power play at the 9:49 mark of the opening frame to give Japan a 1-0 lead that held until the closing minute of the game. With U.S. netminder Steve Cash (Overland, Mo.) pulled in favor of an extra attacker, Manns found the back of the Japanese net with just 38 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.

With neither team scoring in the five-minute overtime period, the game went to the game-winning shots procedure, where Team USA posted the win on a goal from Lipsett.

The United States returns to round-robin action at 2 a.m. EST on Wednesday against Canada.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

USA    0          0          1          0          1          --          2

JPN     1          0          0          0          0          --          1

First Period – Scoring: 1, JPN, Uehara (Misawa, Takahashi), 9:49 (pp). Penalties: USA, Connelly (holding), 1:25; JPN, Endo (high-sticking), 5:42; USA, Nelson (charging), 9:12; USA, Chace (elbowing), 13:59; USA, Emmerson (elbowing), 14:39.

Second Period – Scoring: None. Penalties: USA, Salamone (interference), 1:33; JPN, Takahashi (holding), 3:01; USA, Connelly (roughing), 6:00.

Third Period – Scoring: 2, USA, Manns (Chace, Lipsett), 14:22. Penalties: JPN, Ishida (charging), 3:26; USA, Manns (interference), 9:38.

Overtime – Scoring: None. Penalties: JPN, Uehara (charging), 1:23; USA, Salamone (roughing), 3:13.

GWS – Scoring: 2, USA, Lipsett.

Power Play: USA 0-4; JPN 1-8

Penalties: USA 8-16; JPN 4-8 

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