Monday, December 26, 2016

Spengler Time in Switzerland



It sometimes gets lost in the Sports shuffle of the holidays, but in recent years Canadians have put some time aside to check out one of the more intriguing of tournament offerings with Spengler Cup play set to start on Boxing Day.

The tourney features professional players on a number of European teams tangling with a team of Canadians grabbed from European rosters and boosted with a few fly ins for tournament time.

Six teams are participating in the Davos based event with Team Canada and the host HC Davos squad to be joined by the KHL's  Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg and Dinamo Minsk, Lugano from the Swiss league and Mountfield from the Czech Extraliga making their first ever Tournament appearance.

The annual Spengler event provides Canadians and Americans a chance to catch up with some of their past favourites with a number of players from both countries carving out a nice living for the end of their careers, or others taking their developing skills to Europe for a little seasoning should the NHL not have a space on a roster for them.

The Team Canada roster was announced on December 20th and with General Manager Sean Burke selecting an interesting mix of players to carry Canada's flag into the tournament fray.

Putting the team through their paces for the tournament will be Head Coach Luke Richardson, Associate Coach Dave King and Gordie Dwyer. Notes on the approach that the three will take at the Davos tournament can be found here.

You can review tournament developments from the two websites below:

Spengler Cup website
Hockey Canada's Spengler Cup website

The Tournament scoreboard and summaries can be reviewed following daily play from Switzerland.

Spengler Cup Championship Game
December 31
Team Canada successfully defends its Spengler Cup Championship

Team Canada 5 vs HC Lugano 2 ( Game Summary )

14th Triumph for Tean Canada
Canada wins 2nd straight Spengler Cup
Canada defends Spengler Cup title with victory over HC Lugano
Camlachie's Dustin Jeffrey garners two assists in three games as Canada successfully defends Spengler Cup
Canada defeats HC Lugano, captures Spengler Cup for Second Consecutive year


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Semi Final Friday
December 30

HK Dinamo Minsk 2 vs Team Canada 3 ( Summary )
HC Lugano  4 vs HC Davos 0 (Summary )

December 30 Notes

Canada advances to Spengler cup final
Canada advances to Spengler Cup final with 3-2 victory over Minsk
Canada to face Lugano in Spengler Cup Final
Is Lugano doing the Revenge?
Lugano in the Final against Team Canada
Team Canada First Finalist
Lugano to face Team Canada in Final

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Quarter Final Thursday
December 29 

Mountfield HK 1 vs Team Canada 5  ( Game Summary  )
HC Davos 3 vs Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 1 ( Game Summary )   

December 29 Notes

Senn Heats Davos in the Semi-Final
Team Canada marched loose in the Semi-Final
It's a wonderful tournament
Semi Finals or Travel home

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Opening Round Complete
December 28 

HC Lugano  4 vs  Mountfield HK 3  ( Game Summary  )
HC Dinamo Minsk 4 vs HC Davos 5  (  Game Summary )

December 28 Notes

Davos Despite victory only group-wide
Lugano on the way to the Semi-Final
Two duels for the Group Draw


December 27 

HC Davos 3 vs Team Canada  4 (  Game Summary )
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 3 vs Mountfield HK 4 ( Game Summary )

December 27 Notes

Team Canada wins thanks to Special Teams
Jarusek shoots Mountfield to victory
Canada edges Davos at Spengler Cup
Davos clocks to the Team Canada in tournament

December 26 

Team Canada 4 vs Dinamo Minsk 7  ( Game Summary )
HC Lugano 4 vs Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 2 ( Game Summary )    

December 26 Notes

Opening Game victory for Lugano
Minsk tops Canada in opening game of Spengler Cup
Canada coughs up early lead to fall to Dinamo Minks at Spengler Cup
Evgeny Kovyrshin leads HC Dinamo Minsk past Canada 7-4 at Spengler Cup



Pre-Tournament Notes related to the Spengler Cup can be found below:

December 24 -- Montreal Canadiens Zach Fucale afforded big opportunity at Spengler Cup
December 23 -- Cheering Canada on Boxing Day
December 23 -- Mark Katic added to Canada's Spengler Cup roster
December 23 -- Richardson set to lead Canada's title defence at Spengler Cup
December 23 -- He only needs his skates
December 22 -- Former Peterborough Petes captain Mark Flood playing in Spengler Cup
December 21 -- Beast's Fucale to play for Canada
December 21 -- Ex-Rockets' stopper to join Canada at Spengler Cup
December 21 -- Hockey Canada Names Roster
December 21 -- Camlachie's Dustin Jeffrey will make his Team Canada debut at the Spengler Cup
December 21 -- Spaling named to Team Canada for Spengler Cup
December 20 -- Campbell, Fucale among Spengler players
December 20 -- Islanders to play for Canada at Spengler Cup
December 19 -- Mister Hockey Canada
December 8 -- Luke Richardson named Canada head coach for 2016 Spengler Cup




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