DiClaudio had one hat trick on Friday and followed it up with a natural hat trick on Saturday during her four goal performance as the U.S. team defeated Team Canada 7-2 at the Maysa Arena.

“It was a great series,” said Rose Misiewicz, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team. “Overall, it was really fun to see the ladies grow and improve as we went along.” .

It didn’t take the U.S. long to take control of the game, as the women’s team scored three goals in the first two minutes of the game to take a commanding 3-0 lead, prompting Canada to change goalies.

Catherine Faherty got the scoring started for the U.S. with her fourth goal of the series. The unassisted goal came just 70 seconds into the game. Thirteen seconds later, DeClaudio scored her first goal of the afternoon and added another one 22 seconds later.

After Team Canada switched from Justynne Bennett to Jessie Gregory in net, it was able to hold the United States scoreless well into the second period when DiClaudio got the puck past Gregory to complete her natural hat trick. Each goal of her hat trick was assisted by Erica McKee.

Early into the third period, Lera Doederlein, of the U.S., got called for interference, and Team Canada capitalized on it, scoring its first goal of the three-game series when Hailey Hawk took a pass from Aubree Clements and put it in the back of the net.

Doederlein made up for her penalty a few minutes later when she scored her second goal of the series to put the U.S. back up 5-1 with 9:46 left in the third period. That’s where things stood until a wild final minute of regulation saw the teams combine for three goals. Rachel Grusse scored her first goal of the series before DiClaudio added her fourth goal of the day and eighth of the series to put the U.S. up 7-1.

Aubree Clements added one final goal for Team Canada with just two seconds left in the game to give the final score of 7-2. The U.S. outshot Canada 36-3.

In the end, the U.S. team won all three matches, outsourcing their northern neighbors 17-2 in the three games.

For nearly two full periods, Team Canada held its own against the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team, holding the Americans to a 2-2 draw with just 35 seconds remaining in the second. Then, the U.S. scored two goals in twelve seconds to take a 4-2 lead into the third period.

Jack Wallace added an empty-net goal with 53 seconds left in the game, as the U.S. squad completed the three-game sweep over Team Canada at Minot’s Maysa Arena.

Declan Farmer scored the first two U.S. goals in the game to finish with five in the series. His first goal came 1:44 into the game, off an assist from Jack Wallace. Vincent Boiley tied the score at one goal apiece when he found the net on an assist from Micah Kovacevich. With six minutes remaining in the second period, Farmer added his second goal, this time unassisted, to put the Americans back in the lead, but Team Canada tied the score again two minutes later when Tyler McGregor and Dominic Cozzolino found Liam Hickey, who put it past the U.S. goalie Jen Lee.

After Team Canada’s Zach Lavin was sent off for roughing with a minute left in the second period, Farmer and Josh Pauls connected with Jack Wallace for a power play goal to give the U.S. the lead. Twelve seconds later, Josh Misiewicz scored unassisted to put the Americans in command.

Wallace added an empty-netter with 53 seconds left in regulation to cement the U.S.’ 5-2 victory. The U.S. outshot Canada 29-12 in the contest, including 15-2 in the third period.

With three minutes left in the game, the contest got a bit chippy, with Farmer and Canada’s Adam Dixon getting into a fight that sent both off for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Both teams were also involved in a brief skirmish following the end of regulation.

After winning the opener 7-0, the U.S. men won the next two games 4-1 and 5-2 to seal the sweep.

David Hoff, head coach of the U.S. National Sled Team, spoke about how remarkable the athletes who competed in the Border Battle are.

“I think sometimes when you hear disabled, you don’t think someone can do something,” said Hoff. “I think fans’ eyes were wide open in terms of what people with a physical disability are able to do.”

He added that the game is very physical in nature.

“I think people probably don’t realize a lot of things [about sled hockey] including the speed at which they play, which is probably way faster than most would ever anticipate.”