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There was a time when Corbin Smith thought he was done with sledge hockey.
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The Paralympic athlete from Moncton had already been part of the national program for five years and had won multiple medals representing his country on the world stage. He had nothing left to prove when he was waived for the 2021-22 season due to concussion issues.
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“It's been a tough year,” he said. “It was something that had a big part of my life taken away from me for a while, and it was weird adjusting to that. It makes moments like this even more special.”
Smith, 25, is referring to the gold medal he won May 12 at the World Para Hockey Championships in Calgary. It was Canada's first world title since 2017, Smith's first year with the team, but this time it was even better.
“It was unbelievable,” he said. “I can't find the words.”
Unlike seven years ago in South Korea, Smith's family was able to watch him win the world championship in person. Nineteen family members and friends traveled to the West to make this tournament a memorable one on and off the ice.
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“It was huge mentally to be able to have dinner with them on my day off,” he said. “When you're away from home, you miss your family and home, but that didn't happen (this time).”
Canada went 5-0 in the tournament, defeating the United States 2-1 in the final. The sport's biggest rivalry has grown a bit stale in recent years, with the Americans winning the last three world titles and defeating Canada 6-0 in 2023-24 before a clash for gold.
“We've always had close games, but we just couldn't get over the hurdle of holding a three-period lead,” Smith said.
Things changed at the world championships, with Canada's Dominic Cozzolino (the other player released two seasons ago) scoring 35 seconds into the game. The hosts never trailed, with goalkeeper Adam Kingsmill keeping the powerful Americans to just one goal.
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“We never felt like we had any doubts about us,” Smith said. “We were a confident group and believed that what we had was enough, and we just went out and did it. Everything we had to prepare for was done and we did it the way we wanted it. I proceeded to
Smith, the son of Luke and Kristin Smith, played alongside star forward Adam Dixon and finished the tournament tied for fourth on the team with two goals and six points.
“I was able to find the back of the goal a lot of times,” he said. “(Dixon) really makes it easier to be outside.”
Narrow wins over the Czech Republic and China ahead of the gold medal game not only demonstrated the growth of para hockey, but also helped the Canadians tighten up before their final matchup of the season against the United States.
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“Would you rather beat a team 8-0 and get to the finals or win a close game that is mentally testing?” Smith said. “I think that helped us and got us in the right head space.”
Smith and his teammates will soon receive world championship rings at a Hockey Canada gala before entering the off-season. The celebration will be a feast for Smith, who until recently had doubts about his future in hockey.
“That sour taste only lasted a few weeks, and I started missing it more and more,” he says. “After that, I was confused. I was pretty upset, angry, angry, sad, wondering what I was going to do with my free time. From there, I started thinking about who I was and what I wanted to do. A lot of good things have come out of it.”
And he has another medal to prove it.
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