U.S. Tops Czechia, 6-1, Advancing To Gold Medal Game The U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team secured a decisive 6-1 victory over Czechia in the semifinals of the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, advancing to the gold medal game for the fifth consecutive time. Declan Farmer of Tampa, Fla., led the charge with three goals and three assists, breaking the Paralympic single-tournament record for goals (14) and points (24). The game, played at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Friday, set up a showdown against the winner of the Canada-China semifinal on Sunday. Head coach David Hoff praised the team’s performance, noting their focus and resilience. “I thought we had a really solid effort from start to finish,” Hoff said. “I liked how we stayed with what we were trying to do and I thought our team had patience and persistence, which gives us a chance to play in the game we all want to on Sunday.” Czechia opened the scoring at 5:08 into the game when Michal Geier tapped in a loose rebound during a power play. Farmer responded with the first of his six goals 10:26 into the first period, tying the game at 1-1. His goal came after sweeping in a rebound from Travis Dodson’s initial shot. This marked the start of a dominant U.S. run, as the team extended its lead in the second period by scoring two goals within 19 seconds. David Eustace backhanded a rebound off Patrik Sedlacek’s glove for the second goal, then set up Farmer for the third. Josh Pauls added a fourth goal early in the third period with a low shot from the slot. Farmer’s third goal came with 7:08 remaining in the final frame, as he tapped in a shot around an outstretched goaltender. The U.S.#us_paralympic_sled_hockey_team #declan_farmer #david_hoff #milano_santagiulia_ice_hockey_arena #canada_china_semifinal
