2006-07 National Men's Team

Game Summary

Canada 2 - HK Davos 3

Spengler Cup Final
Sunday, December 31, 2006
12:00 Local | 06:00am ET
Davos, SUI | Photo Gallery

Canada falls 3-2 to Davos in Spengler Cup Final

Team Canada dominated most of the game but were unable to get the win and take home the Spengler Cup Championship. Canada got off to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Jason Doig and Mario Scalzo. Team Davos score one before the end of the first to make it 2-1. Neither team was able to score in the second period. Davos scored early in the 3rd period to tie the game and they scored the winner on a fluke play that saw the puck bounce off the boards and catch goaltender Justin Pogge off gaurd.

Stacy Roest was named Team Canada's top player of the tournament.

The HC Davos wins the Spengler Cup 2006

The HC Davos beat the Team Canada in the final 3:2 and wins its homebound tournament. Andres Ambühl scored in the 49th minute the goal which decided the match. The host team won the tournament for the 14th time. The 80th Spengler Cup was one of the most exciting Cups since beginning. After 8 of 10 round robin games all participant team had still the chance to take part in the final. The winning team Davos and 2nd ranked Team Canada are followed by Mora IK, HK Khimik and the Eisbären Berlin.

Still eleven and a half minute had to be played in the well-balanced final, as the decision was made: Justin Pogge skated behind his goal to give the puck to one of his team-mates. Pogge got caught on Anbühl, who had no problems to score into the empty goal. «I affrighted, when I got the Puck and nobody stood between the posts», so the 23-year old Ambühl who has played for Davos since he was a child. «It’s a good feeling, but in the end it not important who scores», explains Ambühl humbly.

Nevertheless the Swiss team player was the man of the match. In the 43rd minute he assisted Eero Somervuori, who scored in the power play the 2:2. With this goal, Davos was back in the game, which had been dominated by the Canadians for a long time and seemed to run in completely different direction. Only 8 minutes and 19 seconds were played, when the Canadians led by two to zero and were on the best way to win the Spengler Cup for the first time since 2003. «We didn’t care about this early handicap», said Ambühl, «at least, in the running season we’ve turned many matches. The one who doubts loses».

The beginning of the misfortune for Team Canada was in the 36th minute, as it lost two players at once. Defender Jason Doig and forward Josh Holden had a bad crash and had to be hospitalized. The Canadians needed some time to find back into the game. Only in the conclusion phase when they were forced to react, they exerted pressure on the HCD goal.

The Davos goaltender Jonas Hiller had to save many shots in the last few minutes of the match and retrieved his mistake which had led to the 0:1 in the 6th minute. The HC Davos defended the lead and won its homebound tournament for the 14th time and even for the 4th time since 2000.

Team Canada: Pogge; Heins, Harrison; Doig, Syvret; Strudwick, Scalzo; Bright; Law, Kolanos, Jamie Wright; Gardner, Pittis, Maneluk; Tyler Wright, Roest, Herperger; Reid, Brent, Holden; Murovic.

Davos: Hiller; Naumenko, Jan von Arx; Blatter, Khavanov; Winkler, Crameri; Müller; Riesen, Reto von Arx, Daigle; Petrov, Marha, Ambühl; Leblanc, Rizzi, Baumann; Somervuori, Taticek, Burkhalter; Nittel.

Best Players: Shawn Heins / Robin Leblanc

All-Star-Team of the 80th Spengler Cup:

Goaltender: Konstantin Barulin (HK Khimik)

Defenders: Nick Naumenko (HC Davos), Jarno Kultanen (Mora IK)

Forwards: Michel Riesen (HC Davos), Pavel Brendl (Mora IK), Alexandre Daigle (HC Davos)

Most Valuable Player: Michel Riesen (HC Davos)


Box Score CAN
2
0
0
2
Compte DAVOS
1
0
2
3

First Period/Première période

Scoring/Buts:
CAN - Scalzo (Pittis) 1:0
CAN - Doig (Herperger, Roest / Penalty showed against Davos) 2:0
DAVOS - Leblanc (Rizzi) 2:1

Penalties/Pénalités:
5 x 2 minutes Team Canada, 8 x 2 minutes HC Davos

Second Period/Deuxième période

Scoring/Buts:
-

Third Period/Troisième période

Scoring/Buts:
DAVOS - Somervuori (Ambühl, Reto von Arx / Penalty Bright) 2:2
DAVOS - Ambühl (Penalties Riesen; Murovic) 2:3.


Goaltenders CAN Pogge
Gardiens de but DAVOS Hiller

Shots on Goal Team 1 p 2 p 3 p Ttl
Shots on Goal CAN - - - -
Tirs au but DAVOS - - - -

Referee/Arbitre Brent Reiber
Linesmen/Juges des lignes Wirth, Wehrli

Attendance/Assistance 7080 (sold out) at Eisstadion Davos
For more information:
Brad Pascall Vice-President, Hockey Operations