USA Hockey Magazine

8 // MAY 2024 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM O F F T HE D R AW PWHL The Walter Cup SLED HOCKEY BY BOB REINERT PHOTOS COURTESY OF USA Hockey Archive; PWHL Fuel To The Fire Josh Pauls Hopes Silver Medal at the World Championship Will Motivate The U.S. National Sled Team The PWHL's championship trophy is called the Walter Cup, in recognition of PWHL owner Mark Walter and his wife, Kimbra. The 35-pound cup was produced in collaboration with Tiffany and Co. Skate Marks Hockey Stick Hockey Tape Rays of Light Signifying the Dawn of a New Era in Women's Hockey Six "W's" Around the Cup Commemorating the Six Original Teams PWHL Puck Shattering Glass-Ceiling U.S. CAPTAIN JOSH PAULS SOUNDED ANYTHING BUT DEFLATED after the Americans had lost the 2024 World Para Ice Hockey Championship gold-medal game, 2-1, to host Canada in Calgary, Alberta. If anything, he seemed motivated by it. " I t h a d t o h a p p e n e v e n t u a l l y, r i g h t ? " Pauls said. "It's been so long since we've lost, you kind of forget what it's like, and you forget the sting of defeat. "I've always said it's much easier to get m o t i v a t e d f o r a n u p c o m i n g s e a s o n , o r even the rest of the season, after a loss as opposed to a win. And this is really going to light a fire under us. It's really going to show us we're vulnerable and other teams are catching up." T h e U. S. , w h i c h w a s s e e k i n g a f o u r t h straight world title, hadn't lost a game since October 2021 and had a 23-game winning streak against Canada. Declan Farmer got the U.S. to within 2-1 with his goal at 11:19 of the third period. The goal gave Farmer 20 points, which set a record for most points by an American in a single World Championship. However, the rally proved to be too little too late for the United States. Pauls acknowledged that the advancement of other teams across the globe has made playing in a tournament like the World Championship more compelling for the players. "Nobody likes going into a game knowing they 're going to win, even if we don't play our best," Pauls said. "It really showed us that these teams are coming. They 're using our own game against us, and we're really helping other teams out, but we really need to make sure that we're going to end up being the best versions of ourselves. "I want to make sure I'm being my best so that I can lead the team, and I don't think I played my best here." Pauls, who played in his 200th career game with the U.S. National Sled Team, said individ- ual accomplishments are nice, but his focus is on team success. He hopes to look back on this loss and remember it as a moment that propelled the U.S. team to greater heights. "Some of the guys on the team haven't ever lost," Pauls said. "You have to learn how to lose in the right way, be classy when you do, and have it motivate you to be better next time.

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