MATT STAROSTE / ANDREW HAWLEY
The Fulcrum (University of Ottawa)

OTTAWA (CUP) — In just his second Paralympic Games, University of Ottawa student Marc Dorion is playing like a proven veteran on Canada’s sledge hockey team.

On March 13, Dorion scored Canada’s opening goal in a 4-0 victory over Italy. The following day, the fourth-year criminology student lit the lamp three times as Canada dominated Sweden 10-1.

“The (first) game against Italy was an important one because it was the first of the tournament and we wanted to come out strong,” Dorion said.

Dorion opened the scoring for team Canada in the first period when his pass hit an Italian defender and was redirected into the Italian net.

“The goal I got was a perfect example of what happens when you throw the puck in front of the net,” said Dorion.

Canada held the 1-0 lead for two periods before exploding for three more in the third period.

“I think as the game went on, we got better with every shift,” he said. The following day, Canada continued their strong play by routing the Swedes 10-1.

“It’s easy to see that we carried (the) momentum we gained from the third period (against) Italy into our next game,” said Dorion.

The 22-year-old was instrumental in the win and was elated about his performance.

“I was very fortunate to get a hat trick!” he exclaimed in an email. “My first (at the Paralympics)!”

Team Canada (2-0) played Norway (2-0) on March 16, winning 5-0.

The pure joy of winning the championship sledge hockey game at the 2006 Paralympic Games in Torino, Italy, is a feeling the forward will attempt to recapture in Vancouver, where Team Canada is aiming to defend its gold medal.

“The experience was absolutely mind-blowing, and better than I could have expected,” said Dorion of his first-ever Paralympics. “To come back to Canada with the gold…. It’s hard to put into words. Just to hear the national anthem with the medal around your neck was an unbelievable experience.”

Dorion and his teammates have been looking forward to defending that medal on home ice since the end of the Torino Games.

“The last three years, we’ve taken it one step at a time,” said Dorion. “We haven’t focused too much on what’s ahead. We’ve been involved in tournaments, exhibition games, team bonding activities and team training.”

Success in tournaments since 2006 has been the norm for the national sledge hockey team. For the last three years, Canada has earned gold in the 2007 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, the 2008 World Championships, and the 2009 Hockey Canada Cup. The only non-first place finish was a bronze medal performance at the 2009 World Championships in the Czech Republic.

“There’s really no bigger thrill than the Paralympics,” said Dorion. “It’s huge for our sport. And it means that much more this year since we’re hosting the event. Defending the medal at home means the bar has been raised. It will definitely be the highlight of my career.”

Dorion feels that, despite the weight of great expectations, he is ready for Vancouver.

“I have grown as a player. I know what to expect, based on my experience from Torino. I’ve been on the team for a long time, playing with a core group of guys. I know I’ll have to step up my game that much more.”

Although he is one of the younger players on the team, Dorion is a veteran of Canadian national sledge hockey. He was just 16 years old when he joined the team back in 2003”“04.

“It was a great birthday present for sure, being named to Team Canada,” said Dorion, who heard the news just days after he turned 16.

Dorion’s longtime commitment to the sport explains his success.

“I knew from a young age that making the National Hockey League or juniors wasn’t going to happen,” he said. “But I found sledge hockey and the right people and it became my passion.

“I can’t picture my life without (sledge hockey). It means the world to me. Being able to travel and meet the people I have, and lived the experiences I have. It’s been truly incredible.”

Like most other university athletes, Dorion has had to complement his sledge hockey experiences with schoolwork.

“Being at the University of Ottawa has been pretty cool,” he said. “Balancing the workload can be hard, but I appreciate everyone who has ever helped me, whether it’s been for school or hockey.”

This semester, Dorion has had to make a choice between the two, and it wasn’t hard.

“I have taken this semester off,” he laughed. “It is my goal to come back with the gold.”

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photo: Robby Davis