Smithers’ own Adam Kingsmill will be returning home from Beijing with a Paralympic silver medal.
In a rematch of both the gold medal final from the 2018 Paralympics and the championship game of last year’s World Para Ice Hockey Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Team USA overpowered the Canadians 5-0.
It is the Americans’ fourth straight Paralympic title.
Kingsmill sat out the final while teammate Dominic Laroque stopped 15 shots in the losing effort.
The very recently turned 22-year-old last posted to his Facebook page during the opening ceremonies of the Games March 4.
“I have no words… just proud to be Canadian,” he said.
READ MORE: Adam Kingsmill wins silver in Czech Republic; selected for Canadian Paralympic team
The Canadians made it to the semifinals by way of finishing second in their pool. In the semis, Team Canada dominated South Korea in an 11-0 shutout.
Kingsmill saw action in both preliminary round games and the semifinal.
Team USA beat host China in the other semi to set up gold medal game.
In an interview with The Interior News after Kingsmill was named to the Canadian Paralympic team in September 2021, he reflected on the loss at the worlds saying the Canadians were out for revenge.
“It was a really tough final, but we saw how well we could play together, and we are looking at the big picture,” he said. “In Beijing, we are bringing home the gold.”
READ MORE: Smithers’ Adam Kingsmill gets excited about Beijing
Sadly for Kingsmill’s family and the crowd that showed up at Boston Pizza for a viewing party to cheer Team Canada, that prediction did not come to fruition.
The U.S. also beat Canada in the preliminary round of the tournament 5-0.
In the history of Para Ice Hockey, Team Canada has faced off against the Americans 106 times with a record of 59-46-1.
editor@interior-news.com
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