NBC Sports has announced that it will provide unprecedented coverage of the 2014 Paralympics including six sled hockey games. USA's Sled Hockey team enters the tournament as the defending champions, having won gold at two of the past three Paralympics including the Vancouver Paralympics in 2010.

The 2014 Paralympics will take place March 7-16 in Sochi, Russia.   Each of Team USA’s preliminary round games will be featured by NBC Sports Network. They will also be broadcasting both semifinal games and the gold medal game for a total of 12 hours of sled hockey action. All of the U.S. games will also be streamed live at TeamUSA.org.  For a complete game schedule, go to Olympics.USAHockey.com.

While no Minnesotans will be representing Team USA on the ice in Sochi, there is no shortage of USA spirit among the Minnesota Wild Sled Hockey team.  Two current members even have ties to the team. Manny Guerra Jr. was on the US Sled Hockey team that won a gold medal during the 2002 Paralympics in Salt Lake City, and Ezra McPhail has been participating on the USA Developmental Sled Hockey team.  In addition, Minnesota’s Regional ADM Manager, Guy Gosselin, will be Team USA’s Assistant Coach in Sochi.

Prefer to see the action live? The Minnesota Wild Sled Hockey teams (youth and adult) are hosting Winnipeg for a tournament March 15-16 at the Schwan’s Super Rink.  The two day showdown between these rivals will feature a total of six games (four on Saturday and two on Sunday) giving everyone interested in sled hockey a chance to see what it is all about. 

“The sport of sled hockey is growing across the United States, and Minnesota is no exception,” said Minnesota Disabled Hockey Director, Toni Gillen.  “With the addition of three programs to Minnesota Disabled Hockey in the past year (Duluth, Moorhead and Alexandria) and our metro teams' new partnership with the Minnesota Wild, we are excited that the State of Hockey continues to be a leader in the development of disabled hockey programs.”

“We are proud to show that hockey is for EveryBODY!”

For more information on sled hockey in Minnesota, visit www.mnsledhockey.org.