HC Davos will not win the Spengler Cup undefeated like last year. The hosts were beaten 2:6 by their "eternal" rivals Team Canada in the opening game.
26.12.2024, 22:41
26.12.2024, 22:49
SDA
Everything went more or less according to plan for the HCD until the middle of the game. Then the Canadians scored three times from 2:2 to 5:2 within a good seven minutes. Charles Hudon, who usually plays for Ontario in the AHL, scored twice.
He is emblematic of a Team Canada that can only count on nine players from the National League this year. The abundance of Swedes and above all Finns who have become available due to the outlawing of the Russian KHL have displaced some Canadians at Swiss clubs. However, the Canadians made it clear that they are to be taken seriously even in this composition. As usual, the maple leaf on the chest unleashes special powers.
And it started perfectly
The duel between the two record winners of the Spengler Cup (16 wins each) got off to the best possible start for Davos. Ajoie loanee Oula Palve gave them an early lead in the 9th minute. The Canadians made up for this with a double strike in the opening period. Filip Zadina equalized again in the 30th minute, but after that the floodgates broke.
After Tanner Fritz, the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers' new foreigner, made it 6:2 while short-handed, there was no longer any doubt about the winner. In a visually balanced game, the Canadians had much more of a shot on goal than the home team.
The defeat means that HC Davos, which has also lost its last four games in the championship, will be under pressure on Friday evening against the Straubing Tigers from Germany, who are competing in the Spengler Cup for the first time. Although they cannot be eliminated in the preliminary round, it will be difficult to qualify directly for the semi-finals.
Davos - Team Canada 2:6 (1:2, 1:3, 0:1)
Davos. - 6267 spectators (sold out). - SR Lemelin/Hebeisen (USA/SUI). - Goals: 9. Palve (Zadina, Kessler) 1:0. 11. Hazen (shorthanded goal) 1:1. 13. Carr (Aspirot) 1:2. 30. Zadina (Lennström, Tambellini/penalty shown) 2:2. 31. Hudon 2:3. 33. Shaw (Hollowell) 2:4. 38. Hudon (Hazen) 2:5. 52. Fritz (Jooris/underpaid goal) 2:6. - Penalties: 3 times 2 minutes against Davos, 4 times 2 minutes against Team Canada.
Davos: Aeschlimann; Andersson, Lennström; Honka, Dahlbeck; Jung, Gross; Barandun; Stransky, Corvi, Frehner; Lemieux, Ryfors, Tambellini; Kessler, Palve, Zadina; Wieser, Egli, Ambühl; Knak.
Team Canada: Ellis; Aspirot, Curran; Grégoire, Hoefenmayer; Hollowell, White; Bowey, Irwin; McKenzie, Shaw, Seney; Hazen, Maillet, Hudon; Carr, Jooris, Gagner; Coe, Fritz, Carroll.
