(TORONTO, ON. Oct 18, 2022) The 2022 – 23 Canadian National Blind Hockey Team will travel to Fort Wayne, Indiana this weekend to compete against Team USA in the third International Blind Ice Hockey Series. Team Canada is currently 2 – 0 having defeated their American rivals at the inaugural 2018 series in Pittsburgh, and the subsequent 2019 series in Ottawa.
Team Canada features 11 returning players who were part of the previous championship teams, as well as five rookies making their Team Canada debut. The team is made up of players from across Canada representing five provinces including Alberta, BC, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec.
Sudbury’s Amanda Provan makes history as the first woman to be selected to the Canadian National Blind Hockey Team, which is a big boost to Women’s Blind Hockey as the organization continues to work to grow that side of the sport.
The Para sport of Blind Hockey is played by athletes who are blind or partially sighted and who have approximately 10% vision or less. The sport uses an adapted puck that makes noise and is larger than a traditional puck. Currently, only Canada and the USA have national teams, however, there are now Blind Ice Hockey programs in England, Finland, Sweden, and Russia with the goal of founding a World Championships for the sport by 2025 and establishing a pathway to the Paralympics.
“Our players have worked extremely hard through the two-year break in competition during the pandemic,” said Luca DeMontis GM and Coach. “They all continued to train on their own and with their club teams, and we’ve gotten together as a group through zoom every month for team building, mental performance, nutrition, or other workshops. When we finally came back together in person at camp in August it really showed, and we can’t wait to go compete in the International Blind Ice Hockey Series.”
The tournament will be broadcast live on the Canadian Blind Hockey YouTube Channel.
Canada vs USA International Blind Ice Hockey Series Schedule
October 21: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
October 22: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
October 23: 9:00 am – 11: 00 am
2021 – 2022 CANADIAN NATIONAL BLIND HOCKEY TEAM ROSTER
B1 GOALTENDERS
Joey Cabral, Toronto, ON; Oliver Pye, Halifax, NS; Lorne Webber; Edmonton, AB.
B2 SKATERS
Francois Beauregard, Montreal, QC; Dustin Butterfield, Red Deer, AB; Mark DeMontis, Toronto, ON; Joe Fornasier, Burlington, ON; Bruno Haché, Montreal, QC; Wyatt Harvey, Peterborough, ON; Amanda Provan, Sudbury, ON.
B3 SKATERS
Julien Blais, Montreal, QC; Sean Heaslip, Vancouver, BC; Alex Angus MacEachen, Mabou, NS; Chaz Misuraca, Stratford, ON; Simon Richard, Dieppe, NB; Kelly Serbu, Cole Harbour, NS; Jason Yuha, Rosalind, AB.
General Manager & Coach: Luca DeMontis, Toronto, ON
Coaches: Joey Ali, Surrey, BC; Paul Kerins, Weston, ON; Joe McCallion, Toronto, ON; Jeff Street, Toronto, ON.
