Canada seeks back-to-back world titles at the World Para Hockey Championship starting Saturday in Buffalo, N.Y.
The host Canadians dented the recent dominance of the United States in the sport by beating the Americans 2-1 for the gold medal last year in Calgary.
It was Canada’s first gold medal on home ice and first after falling to the U.S. in three straight finals.
Canada’s 17 players announced earlier this month by Hockey Canada open defence of the crown Saturday against Germany at LECOM Harborcenter, which is the practice facility of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
There are 16 returning players from last year’s squad, including goalie Adam Kingsmill of Smithers, B.C. He stopped 24 of 25 shots in the gold-medal game.
Dominic Cozzolino of Mississauga, Ont., and Anton Jacobs-Webb of Gatineau, Que., also return after scoring Canada’s goals in last year’s final.
WATCH l Canada beats U.S. to capture world title on home ice:
Canada defeats the United States 2-1 at the world para ice hockey championship in Calgary. The Canadians claim their first world title since 2017 and their first on home ice.
“Entering the world championship as the defending champions is not something we take lightly,” said head coach Russ Herrington.
“We know that every country will bring their best against us. As a group, we have continued to grow and develop over the last year.
“This roster has a ton of experience on the big stage, and we are excited to get going.”
Canada lost 4-1 to the U.S. in the final of the Para Cup in Charlottetown on Dec. 14, and 5-3 to the Americans in the final of the International Para Hockey Cup in Ostrava, Czech Republic on Oct. 13.
The U.S. also beat Canada in the final for Paralympic gold in both 2018 and 2022. Their rivalry is expected to continue into the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
China and South Korea are also in Canada’s world championship group in Buffalo, while Group B features the U.S., the Czech Republic, Norway and Slovakia.
Canada takes on South Korea on Sunday and China on Tuesday. The quarterfinals May 28 will be followed by the May 30 semifinals and medal games May 31.
All 20 tournament games will be streamed on USAHockeyTV.com.