Ice Sledge Hockey Is Not For The Timid

I wrote a story earlier today about the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi and came across a Paralympic sport called Ice Sledge Hockey.  Must set DVR!

The Paralympics in Sochi Russia begin starting March 7th and will host athletes from across the world to participate in 5 events:

• Ice Sledge Hockey
• Alpine Skiing
• Biathalon
• Cross Country Skiing
• Wheelchair Curling

A friend of a friend, Joel Hunt (Hunt for the Gold) will be competing in the Alpine skiing event and is currently training in Aspen so my eyes are on Joel this March for sure.  But I will also be intently trying to tape and watch the Ice Sledge Hockey as well.

The game is played with the same rules and intent but the difference is that the players have sticks with a spike on one end to propel themselves down the ice.  The sleds they ride, or sledges, are double bladed and allow for a puck to pass through underneath. Team USA is favored in the event after beating Canada on their home soil in 2010 and taking home the Gold medal. (We also took home the Gold in 2002 by beating Norway along with Gold at the World Championships in 2009 and 2012.)

Canada though won't be shut out...they have won the wheelchair curling event in 2006 and in 2010 so they would be most happy with a Gold trifecta.