Kelsey DiClaudio felt nervous heading into the championship game of the 2024 Para Ice Hockey Women’s World Challenge.
However, she knew that one thing would calm her down.
“I wanted to get a goal in the first period to kind of get those nerves out of the way,” DiClaudio said. “I had a lot of chances.”
Though she failed to convert any of those opportunities in that opening period, the 27-year-old forward from Plum, Pennsylvania, did record an assist on Chloe Kirkpatrick’s goal 3:59 into the game to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead over Canada.
During the first intermission, DiClaudio plotted ways to light the lamp herself.
“Going into the second period, I just kept thinking to myself, ‘You’ve got to make the goalie move,’” she said. “Then when I had my chance, I made her move.”
The result was a pair of goals 42 seconds apart, giving the Americans a commanding 3-0 lead.
DiClaudio, who’s played in all three Women’s World Challenges, couldn’t remember scoring twice in such a short amount of time in a game of such importance.
With DiClaudio’s three points creating some breathing room, the U.S. saw out a 3–0 win. The Americans, who outscored their opponents 27-0 through four games, won their third straight title in the Women’s World Challenge and remained undefeated in the event.
“It was a great showcase they put on for women’s para ice hockey overall, and the venue was great,” DiClaudio said of the Skien Fritidspark in Norway. “One of the big things that these tournaments show is how women overall can come together and put on such a big showcase for a sport that isn’t really recognized in a lot of areas. On and off the ice, it’s really cool how we can come together.”
DiClaudio, who began playing sled hockey as an 8-year-old, unsurprisingly earned Player of the Game honors against Canada.
“I was trying to get the hat trick, but, overall, [I was] very happy with my performance,” she said. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates’ support. I wouldn’t have had those chances I had without them. I’m just very proud to be part of that group.”
While the U.S. and Canada continue to make strides in women’s sled hockey, DiClaudio pointed out that a lot of development still needs to happen overseas for the game to grow. The scores at the Women’s World Challenge reminded everyone of that gap.
When the Americans could’ve become complacent, they locked in to keep their undefeated streak alive.
“It shows how good of a team we really are, how we didn’t fall into bad habits,” she said. “I was nervous that I was going to fall into bad habits at the beginning of the tournament because it was a different style tournament.”
Participation in women’s sled hockey has seen a sharp increase since the inaugural Women’s World Challenge in 2022. While that’s been a promising first step, DiClaudio reiterated that she wants to continue to support the growth of women’s sled hockey in the future.
“No matter what — whether I’m the best in the world, or whether I’m a bench-warmer, or a cheerleader on the bench, or even in the stands — I’m going to be there cheering my team on.”
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc
