Kärpät Oulu wins 3:2 after overtime against Dynamo Pardubice at the Spengler Cup in Davos, sending Fribourg-Gottéron directly into Monday's semi-final as group winners.
28.12.2024, 17:50
28.12.2024, 17:58
SDA
Thanks to the Finns' shooting assistance, Fribourg remained ahead of Pardubice. Last year's finalists from the Czech Republic will now face the third-placed team from the other group, most likely the Straubing Tigers, in one of the two quarter-finals on Sunday afternoon.
Oulu showed a marked improvement on their 4:6 loss to Fribourg the day before and took the lead twice on the power play, as early as the 3rd minute and then again five and a half minutes before the end. Neither time did the lead last long. Particularly annoying: they conceded the equalizer to make it 2:2 in the 57th minute while outnumbered.
In overtime, Canadian Reid Gardiner sent Gottéron into the semi-finals after 3:24 minutes. The goal was of no use to Oulu, who remain bottom of the group and will probably face HC Davos on Sunday evening.
The hosts and defending champions could only win the group if Straubing defeats Team Canada by four, five or six goals on Saturday evening.
