Canada cruise past Italy to win Torino 2015 international sledge hockey tournament

Canada emerged as comfortable winners at the Torino 2015 tournament ©Hockey Canada

Canada were crowned winners of the Torino 2015 international sledge hockey tournament after convincingly beating the host nation Italy in the gold medal match.

The 2015 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships A-Pool silver medallists began the newly established tournament as the overwhelming favourites and underlined their billing by ending the event unbeaten.

However, the Italian team provided the North Americans with a strong test in the opening quarter of the gold medal match, but they were unable to prevent Tyler McGregor from making the breakthrough for Canada with a well hit effort.

The tournament’s top scorer, with ten goals, struck again at the start of the second period of play and the goal caused the Italian defence to buckle.

Canadian captain Greg Westlake, who won gold on the rink at the Torino 2006 Winter Paralympics, scored a brace and Bryan Sholomicki added a fifth goal to put the match beyond doubt.

Gianluigi Rosa scored a consolation effort in the final period for the Italian team, who were using the event to provide teenagers such as Christoph Depaoli and Nils Larch with further experience of international level competition.

Canada immediately hit back through McGregor’s hat-trick goal, before Brad Bowden added further gloss to their performance by making the score 7-1.

Canada finished as runners-up at this year's Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships A-Pool event ©Getty Images

"I like the way that we came together as a team throughout the week,” said Westlake afterwards.

“It was a lot of fun to see some players score their first goals, and for our team to get the taste of winning again.”

The Canadian team had reached the final by beating the hosts 5-1 in the group phase along with 10-0 and 8-0 victories over Norway, while Italy had beaten South Korea 3-2 and 4-0 to bounce back from their early loss.

South Korea, who were promoted to the Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships A-Pool earlier this year, earned victory in the third place play-off after defeating Norway on penalties, after their match had ended 3-3.