Wednesday, February 19, 2014

U.S. Paralympic sled team special debuts on PBS Feb. 24

From NHL.com:

The 2014 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team will be the focus of a one-hour documentary entitled "Ice Warriors: USA Sled Hockey" that will debut Monday at 10 p.m. ET on PBS.

The 2014 Sochi Paralympics will begin March 7 at Shayba Arena in Sochi. The United States is coached by former University of Wisconsin coach Jeff Sauer, who is in his third season with the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team.

The PBS program follows the 17-member United States sled hockey team across North America as it prepares to defend the gold medal it won at the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics. The program will profile the accomplishments and determination of each individual on and off the ice.

The documentary also will be available online in its entirety beginning Feb. 25.

All U.S. games will be streamed live at TeamUSA.org. NBC and NBC Sports Network will also have Paralympics coverage. The U.S. begins play March 8 against Italy at 7:30 a.m. ET. The gold-medal game is scheduled March 15 at Noon ET.

The U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team currently is training at Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail, N.C., through Feb. 22. Final preparation for the Paralympics will take place in Colorado Springs, Colo., with Team USA holding practices Feb. 26-27 before leaving for Sochi on Feb. 28.

There are seven returning players from the 2010 U.S. squad that captured the gold medal in Vancouver, including goalie Steve Cash, who was named the top player at his position four years ago after not allowing a goal in five games. Additional returnees include defensemen Taylor Chace, Nikko Landeros and Andy Yohe, and forwards Taylor Lipsett, Adam Page, Josh Pauls and Greg Shaw. Cash, Chace, Lipsett and Yohe also earned bronze medals at the 2006 Turin Paralympics.

The youngest player on the roster is Brody Roybal, who turned 15 in May and will be making his U.S. National Team debut. Yohe, 35, is the oldest player and will serve as the team's captain. Four members of the team currently serve or have served in the U.S. military -- Jen Lee is on active duty with the Army, Rico Roman is an Army veteran and Paul Schaus and Josh Sweeney served in the Marine Corps.