Canada Opens Para Cup with Dominant 7–0 Win

Summary:

• Tyler McGregor scored a hat trick as Canada cruised past China in its tournament opener.
• Goalie Corbin Watson earned a shutout and became the first Canadian Para hockey goalie to reach 100 games.
• Liam Hickey added two goals, and Canada now turns its attention to Monday’s matchup against Czechia.

Canada couldn’t have asked for a better start to the 2025 Para Cup. head coach Boris Rybalka’s side had no trouble rolling past China 7–0 on Sunday in Dawson Creek.

Tyler McGregor led the way with a hat trick, setting the tone early and giving Canada control of the game almost from the opening faceoff.

McGregor: “Our Start to the Game Was Phenomenal”

Liam Hickey chipped in two goals of his own, one of them short-handed, and Dominic Cozzolino and Micah Kovacevich also found the back of the net. It was the kind of balanced scoring Canada hoped to see in its first outing of the tournament.

McGregor said the team felt locked in right away.

I thought our start to the game was phenomenal. We got involved physically early on and jumped out to an early lead. It is hard to complain about getting two short-handed goals in the first period, but we were able to continue our success from there.

Watson, First Goaltender to Mark 100 Appearances 

While the offence grabbed most of the attention, the night was just as memorable for what happened in Canada’s end. Goaltender Corbin Watson stopped all nine shots he faced to record the shutout, and the game marked a personal milestone. 

By stepping onto the ice, he became the first goalie to reach 100 appearances for Canada’s national Para hockey team.

It means a lot to me to be able to be around this team and the entire program for so long. It is a monumental achievement for me.

In the other game on Sunday, the United States defeated Czechia 3–1, setting up an interesting matchup for Canada’s next outing. Canada faces Czechia on Monday as the four-team hockey tournament continues in Dawson Creek.