Still the bridesmaids.
Canada’s National Para Hockey Team – coached by Vernon’s Boris Rybalka – won silver for the fourth straight year at the 2025 International Para Hockey Cup in Ostrava, Czechia.
Canada lost the gold-medal final, 3-0, to the United States.
“I am proud of all our guys for today’s game, as well as the whole 10 days we have been [in Czechia],” said Rybalka to the Canadian Paralympic Committee following the game. “They represented the country, themselves and our program well, and there were a lot of positives that we can take away from this tournament.”
Corbin Watson (Kingsville, Ont.) was stellar in the Canadian goal, making 24 saves in his 99th career game. Watson was terrific in his three starts in the tournament – two of them against the Americans – finishing with a 1.66 goals-against average and .924 save percentage.
Auren Halbert (Calgary) was named Player of the Game for Canada.
“This offseason came with a lot of change, including new coaches and new players, and it was fun to get the new season started and find out which areas we need to work on,” said veteran Canadian forward Greg Westlake of Oakville, Ont.
“We are excited to keep building, and we know we are going to stay united as a team and get better as the season goes on. We are looking forward to playing at home in our next tournament and showcasing our great sport, because we love playing in Canada. We are excited to get to Dawson Creek in November and play in a part of the country that we have not been to for a long time.”
Canada secured its spot in the gold-medal game by finishing the preliminary round in second place after an overtime loss to the United States (2-1) and wins over Czechia (6-1), China (4-2), and Italy (9-1).
“Obviously we would have liked to win a gold medal, but we are going to continue through the process so we can give ourselves the best chance to be successful when we get to Milan [for the 2026 Paralympics],” said Rybalka, named head coach of Team Canada in August.
Rybalka spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach, helping Canada win gold at the World Para Hockey Championships in 2024, and silver in 2025.
Prior to that, Rybalka had a decorated career in Junior A hockey as a coach.
He won two gold medals (2006, 2007) and one silver (2008) as head coach of Canada West at the Junior A World Challenge. The Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) Coach of the Year in 2003-04, Rybalka led the Camrose Kodiaks to five AJHL championships (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008) and won the Royal Bank Cup as national Junior A champions in 2001.
He is the all-time leader in wins by a coach in Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) history (683).
Canada and the U.S. will meet again in just over one month at the 2025 Para Cup, joined by China and Czechia, at the Ovintiv Events Centre in Dawson Creek Nov. 30-Dec. 6.
The 2026 Winter Paralympics will run March 6-15 in Milano Cortina, Italy.
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