With the Canadian para ice hockey team preparing for its semifinal showdown Friday against China, Edmontonian native Micah Kovacevich will be ready for whatever needs to be done.

Kovacevich had that mental toughness and ability to get on the came during his youth when he became a lifelong Edmonton Oilers fan.

TAIT: Edmonton Paralympian prepares for hockey playoff round in Milano Cortina Back to video

“Kovy,” as his teammates call him, grew up in Edmonton, where the Oilers were more than just a team — they were a symbol of hope, resilience, and the pursuit of greatness.

His father, Marian, played a pivotal role in fostering that love. A lifelong hockey player, he still skates in an over-55 league in Edmonton.

“He’s been playing his whole life,” Kovacevich says. “It’s just who he is.

But for the younger Kovacevich, the path to the ice wasn’t as simple as lacing up a pair of skates. Born with a spina bifida, and didn’t even know para hockey existed until his father discovered it at a local rink.

“I had no idea it was even........

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