Spengler Cup
December 30, 2003
Davos, SUI

by Paul Romanuk

Canada was defeated 7-4 by Switzerland (represented by Davos) setting up a re-match between the two teams in Wednesday’s championship game.

Davos had to win the game to advance to the final; Canada had already assured themselves a berth after winning their first three games. It will be the fourth year in a row the two teams have met for the title.

Team Canada started off strongly, taking the game to the Swiss, with Hnat Domenichelli scoring his 3rd goal of the tournament to put Canada up 1-0. Davos answered back with a goal :24 seconds later when former Canadian National Team member Todd Elik bounced a shot off of Canadian netminder Wade Flaherty and into the net. Davos followed that goal up with two more in the first period and another three in the second to lead 5-1 after forty minutes.

“That was typical for Canadian teams in these types of tournaments,” said Canadian coach Gary Green. “The game didn’t mean much, we had already qualified for the final and there just wasn’t much intensity from our guys. I could sense it this morning; I could sense it in the room before the game. We play best when we face adversity.”

The Canadian team had a lot of adversity to face in the third period. With a lineup already depleted by injuries to Ryan Savoia and Jeff Shantz, coach Green was forced to juggle further when he lost Mike Maneluk with the flu. Paul DiPietro was already a scratch suffering from the flu bug. However, the adversity seemed to bring out the best in the team as they ripped three goals in the first half of the period to pull to within one.

Jean Guy Trudel started the comeback with a goal at 5:33. That was followed by goals from Stacey Roest at 8:43 and Jan Alston at 10:59. “We talked about wanting to come out and win the third period,” said defenceman Chris Belanger. “We wanted to send a message to ourselves and to them. I think we did that.”

Davos scrambled for much of the final period, but got things back on track when a pair of former NHLers connected. Oleg Petrov fed a beautiful pass to Jonas Hoglund, who scored to put Davos up 6-4 with 4:40 to play. Reto Von Arx added an empty net goal. Belanger, for one, was having none of the “we don’t play well when there’s nothing at stake” school of thought.

“For me, every time I suit up to play for Canada I give it all that I have - whether or not there’s anything on the line. I can say that for myself and, I think, every guy on our team. You give it your all. It’s as simple as that.”

“You’ll see a different team tomorrow, I promise you that,” said Green. He was asked, by a Swiss reporter, whether or not he would eat his words if the team didn’t come up with a bigger effort against Davos in the final. Green replied that he was “planning on having a nice meal after the game tomorrow, and it won’t be newspaper.”

With the loss, Canada’s winning streak at the Spengler Cup comes to an end. Going back to last year’s 5-0 record, Canada had won eight games in a row before today’s loss. Jamie Hodson is expected to start in goal for Canada in the final game. Jeff Shantz, suffering from a muscle strain, will be a game time decision.