Moose Jaw, Sask., becomes first Canadian city to host World Para Ice Hockey Championships

Moose Jaw is making history in the world of Para ice hockey.

The southern Saskatchewan city is the first Canadian host of the World Para Ice Hockey Championships since the event's inception in 1996. The top eight international Para hockey teams have been competing at the Moose Jaw Events Centre since May 28.

Team Canada is now heading into the playoff round after a commanding win over South Korea, a victory against Czechia and a loss to the United States.

Russ Herrington, team Canada's head coach, said playing on home soil is a treat.

"It's a great opportunity for us to showcase where the sport is now," Herrington said.

"It's really accelerated in the past four or five years."

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First woman to represent Canada in an international tournament

Moose Jaw becoming the first Canadian host isn't the only milestone at the tournament.

Raphaëlle Tousignant became the first woman to don the maple leaf in an international Para ice hockey game in Canada's opening game against South Korea.

The 20-year-old from Terrebonne, Que., said she was determined to play for the national team.

"People thought I was crazy or naive, because I was young and a woman and they're men and bigger, [but] at the end of the day I never stopped believing in myself that I could achieve that," Tousignant said.

"If you truly believe in yourself and you work hard, you're just going to do it. There's no dream that is too crazy to be achieved and nothing is impossible."

Francois Tousignant, Raphaëlle's father, said he isn't surprised that his daughter is playing at the highest level in the sport.

"The first time she tried playing Para hockey she told me, 'in a couple of years I will be at the Olympics,'" Francois said on Monday.

To fulfil her Paralympic dream, Tousignant will need to continue playing with the men. There is no women's Para ice hockey event in the current Paralympics programme.

Tousignant hopes she can inspire more girls worldwide to start playing the sport.

"It's not very mixed [right now], so that needs to change," Tousignant said. "Hopefully my teammates will have the same opportunity to live the experience I'm living right now."

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Only three women have played Para hockey at the Paralympics to date. Many people are advocating for a women's tournament to be introduced in the 2030 Paralympics programme. To qualify there would need to be six international teams by 2025. There are currently five.

Growing the game

Doug Kirkem traveled from Monkton, Ont., to Moose Jaw to watch his nephew Corbyn Smith represent Canada in the tournament.

Kirkem hopes Canada hosting the World Para Ice Hockey Championships will grow the sport's popularity here.

"I think it brings more awareness to the Canadian fans on how good of athletes they really are." Kirkem said.  "They're sitting on a sledge only using their arms. They can shoot, they can pass, body check, everything a regular hockey player can do without their legs.

"It's phenomenal."

Trip Kuntz plays goalie for the Peewee AA Moose Jaw Warriors. He was excited to watch Canada play so close to his home.

"It's really cool that they get a chance to come out here and play," Kuntz said. "They're really good. I've seen a lot of nice plays."

Team Canada's next match will be on Saturday in the semi finals against either Czechia or Italy. The tournament comes to an end on Sunday evening with the gold medal game.