Their team will be returning to Buffalo’s Harborcenter, the scene of their home triumph at the 2015 World Championships A-Pool.

They defeated Canada 3-0 in the final of the competition and will be hoping for similar success nearly a year on, with Josh Pauls, Declan Farmer, Dan McCoy and their goalkeeper Steve Cash among the players returning to the squad.

“We set the standard for ourselves as a team that we don’t come to a tournament expecting anything less than gold,” said Pauls.

“Because if you don’t go in trying to win the tournament, then there’s no real point in actually going.

“We have high expectations, and that just trickles down to each individual player.”

The American squad are due begin their Pan Pacific Championship campaign against the Pan Pacific team, featuring players from Japan and other participating countries.

Canada and South Korea, whose players will be contributing to the Pan Pacific team to help the Japanese players' development, will meet in their opening match this evening.

After the first two days of group competition, the competing teams are due to a rest day on Thursday (March 31).

Team Pan Pacific will face Canada in their final group match the following day, with the United States taking on 2018 Winter Paralympic Games hosts South Korea.

The top two countries will then contest the gold medal match on April 2, with the clash commencing after the conclusion of the bronze medal play-off.