Canada blanks Italy in pre-Paralympic hockey opener, led by forwards Dixon and Cozzolino

Canada’s Paralympic hockey team opened its pre-tournament schedule with an 8-0 drubbing of host Italy on Wednesday.

The Canadians led 2-0 after the first period and increased the margin to 7-0 through two.

Adam Dixon, who is set to compete at his fifth Paralympics, led the way with a goal and three assists while fellow forward Dominic Cozzolino scored a hat trick.

Adam Kingsmill turned aside six shots for the shutout and Canada, which outshot the Italians 37-6, went 2-for-3 on the power play.

The teams meet again Friday at 4 a.m. ET.

Canada, which captured a silver medal four years ago in Beijing, will open the tourney March 7 against Slovakia, followed by Japan (March 9) and Czechia (March 10).

The 17-member Canadian squad will be seeking its first Para hockey gold medal in 20 years at the Milan-Cortina Paralympics. The United States has won the past four tournaments since Canada prevailed in 2006 in Turin, Italy.

Veteran forward Greg Westlake, who recently came out of retirement, is among 10 returning players on the Canadian roster.

Eight countries are split into two pools with defending champion U.S., China, Germany and host Italy in another pool.

The top two teams in each pool make the semifinals. The medal games are March 15.

"We've got to be ready for whatever the moment demands of us and we know that's going to be challenging," forward Tyler McGregor, preparing for his fourth Paralympics, told The Canadian Press earlier this year.

"We know within a Paralympic Games environment, even though it's a short tournament, a lot of things happen. A lot of adversity comes and even within those critical games, those must-win games, a lot of things happen, mistakes happen.

"We have to have this rock-solid foundation