Cozzolino leads Canada past China at Para hockey worlds, earning team a berth to 2026 Olympics

Dominic Cozzolino scored twice as Canada wrapped up the preliminary round at the world Para hockey championship with a 4-2 win over China on Tuesday.

Cozzolino leads the tournament with seven goals.

Adam Dixon scored the game-winner while Mathieu Lelieve had the other goal for Canada.

Corbin Watson stopped 13 shots as Canada outshot China 25-15.

Canada finished first in Group A at 3-0 and will face the Czech Republic in Friday's semifinals. The United States will face China in the other semifinal. All four semifinalists also qualified for next year's Paralympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy.

"It's nice to finish off the round robin with a win," Canada assistant coach Greg Westlake said. "It's fun to be in a close, competitive hockey game. It's good for our sport."

Westlake said the Canadians showed persistence when the shots weren't going in early in the game.

"You could really see today how tight of a team we have," he said. "You're trying and trying, getting lots of shots but nothing is going inª you just have to stay with it."

After winning its first two games over Germany and South Korea by a combined score of 23-0, Canada got a much tougher test Tuesday. Canada and China were tied 1-1 after two periods, with Dixon's winner coming with less than 10 minutes left.

"There was no panic at all in that room," Cozzolino said of dealing with a close game. "We know what makes us a great team and we stuck with it. I was proud of the guys.

"We didn't waver at all, didn't get frustrated and I think the end result shows that. Every line just kept pounding the rock as we say, and it led to success."

Canada is the defending champion after winning its fifth world title last year in Calgary.