After four consecutive shutouts to start the Vancouver Paralympics, it was only fitting that the U.S. sledge hockey team captured its gold medal by pitching yet another goose egg.

Goaltender Steve Cash made five saves, including one on a penalty shot, as the Americans fended off a feisty Japanese squad 2-0 in the Paralympic final Saturday. The Games win is the second for the U.S. sledge team, which also took gold in Salt Lake City in 2002.

The gold-medal game in Vancouver was a lot closer than many predicted. The U.S. led just 1-0 after two and the Japanese had flurry after flurry in the American zone in the final period.

None of Cash's saves were easy. Among them was a dive to his left with three and a half minutes remaining to stifle a Japanese forward at the edge of the crease.

It wasn't until the U.S. added an insurance goal with 1:18 to play that Cash and his teammates could even think of breathing easy.

"His name's Cash but we call him 'Money,' " said American forward Joe Howard, gold medal draped around his neck.

Cash, 20, who was in the American net for all but one period at the Paralympics, said his team didn't expect to go through the tournament without giving up a goal.

"We just made sure we stayed focused and prepared," he said. "I like to credit my defence for a lot of it because they've been there to back me whenever anything might go wrong and they've just played their hearts out."

'Moment of euphoria'

Cash, who also spoke with reporters with his gold medal hanging from his neck, said the prize was a lot heavier than he first envisioned. But having it presented to him is something he won't forget.

"When we scored that second goal, it's kind of like a moment of euphoria. It's what we've worked for four years and it's kind of like those past four years flashed before my eyes," said Cash, who was diagnosed with bone cancer at the age of three and had his right leg amputated.

The United States took a 1-0 lead 4:10 into the game when the team's leading scorer, Alexi Salamone, buried a backhander on the power play.

Salamone was born in Ukraine 14 months after the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl. As a result, he was born with deformed legs and was adopted by his parents at the age of six.

Salamone, who finished the five games with four goals and four assists, said the medal ceremony was especially emotional for him.

"I was tearing up. My parents have sacrificed for me to be on hockey trips and stuff, so it was real emotional," he said.

Salamone gave much of the credit for his team's win to his goaltender.

"He's the best player on our team, no doubt," he said of Cash. "Any one of us can score goals, but he stops all of our pucks and he's the last man back. So for him to make huge saves like that, it fires us up."

Penalty shot

Cash's best save came in the second period after Japanese captain Takayuki Endo was hauled down on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot.

Endo tried to snap the puck high glove side but Cash kept it out and the game remained 1-0 U.S.

"I always stay patient, let them make the first move," Cash said of the penalty shot. "And on that one, I kind of baited him to my glove side and luckily he took it."

Taylor Lipsett added the insurance goal for the Americans late in the third period.

Few thought the Japanese would make it to the gold-medal game, but they earned their way in by stunning the Canadians in the Paralympic semifinal on Thursday. They might well have reached the top of the Vancouver podium, if not for Cash's play in the American net.

Saturday's gold-medal game was broadcast live in Japan and Endo said he hopes his team's effort has helped grow the game.

"I think that we were able to play as one really solid unit today and I'm proud of our performance," he said through a translator.