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Post by MarmotMike on Dec 22, 2003 2:07:12 GMT -5
Wow! In Canada, Sportsnet will be broadcasting the Spengler Cup. Should be interesting because I've never watched a game from this tournament before. I'll post scores and stories from the tournament at this thread. Anybody know about the Loto Cup (formerly the Slovakia Cup)? I just read that Canada won this tournament. www.hockeycanada.ca/e/news/2003/nr120.htmlTeam Canada & Spengler Cup details (source: HockeyCanada.ca) Canada’s 20-player roster for the Spengler Cup will boast many former NHL players, with their career NHL stats in brackets: Jamie Heward (239: 25G, 45A, 70PTS), Mark Astley (75: 4G, 19A, 23PTS), Dixon Ward (537: 95G, 129A, 224PTS), Lonny Bohonos (83: 19G, 16A, 35PTS), Hnat Domenichelli (267: 52G, 61A, 113PTS), Stacey Roest (244: 28G, 48A, 76PTS), Yves Sarault (106: 10G, 10A, 20PTS), Mike Maneluk (85: 11G, 10A, 21PTS), Jeff Toms (236: 22G, 33A, 55PTS), Jeff Shantz (642: 72G, 139A, 211PTS), Sebastian Bordeleau (251: 37G, 61A, 98PTS), Ryan Savoia (3: 0G, 0A, 0PTS). Head Coach Gary Green, who was Head Coach of last seasons’ Deutschland Cup championship team and Sweden Games team for Canada, will be Team Canada’s Head Coach at the Spengler Cup. Green, who coached the NHL's Washington Capitals from 1979 to '81, will be joined by Assistant Coaches Kent Ruhnke who is coaching with Bern in the Swiss League, and Doug Lidster who is involved with the Canada’s National Women’s Program as an assistant coach for the 2003-2004 season. Last year, in the 2002 Spengler Cup final, Canada defeated the host team, HC Davos, 3-2. Canada went undefeated in last year’s tournament with a perfect 5-0 record. Overall, Canada has captured nine Spengler Cup Championships in the event’s 76-year existence, including a four-year run from 1995-98. “The Spengler Cup has a tremendous history, and we are honoured to be involved and look forward to defending our championship at this year’s event,“ said Gary Green. “The players that we have assembled, many have represented Canada before on the international stage, and we have a good mix of youth, speed and experience.”
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Post by stjohnsleafsfan on Dec 22, 2003 23:38:24 GMT -5
One of ours Brendan Bell will also play in the tournament. :oFormer St. John's Maple Leaf Jamie Hodson will also tend goal for Canada.
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Post by MarmotMike on Dec 25, 2003 15:59:32 GMT -5
Another holiday tradition continues by Paul Romanuk, special to Sportsnet.ca SWITZERLAND - It's hard not to think about hockey this time of the year. Aside from the usual NHL song and dance, hockey fans can also focus their attention on some great international tournaments. The World Junior Championship is the holiday season tradition. But there's also a great little tournament in Switzerland that made it's Canadian television debut last year -- the Spengler Cup Championship. It's the oldest club team invitational tournament in the world. This year will mark the 77th time some of the finest teams in Europe, and a national team from Canada, will compete for the championship. Canada made its debut at the tournament in 1984. Team Canada is made up of Canadians playing professionally in Europe as well as several players from the American Hockey League. The competition is fierce and intense. The five teams play four games in five days, with the top two teams meeting in the championship game on New Year's Eve. Canada is the defending champion -- they've played in the final for the last three years. This tournament is about all that's great with Canadian hockey players. I don't mean the high profile NHL guys we all know. These are guys who play in tournaments all over Europe during the season and don't get the recognition they deserve for putting on the Canadian jersey. This is the highest profile of the European tournaments (next to the World Championship) and it means a lot to the players because their friends and family get a rare opportunity to see them play on TV back home. What also makes this tournament special for the players is the fact that it's held over the Christmas holiday. Almost every player on the team is here with family or close friends. They share Christmas dinner and New Year's Eve together. For most of the players, it is one of the few times during the season they get to share a dressing room with a bunch of other Canadians. They all tell you how much that means -- to talk about the country you learned to play hockey in, the junior teams you played for and even the music you like to listen to. You've heard it before, and it's so true -- watch 22 individuals show up on day one of a tournament and then marvel at how quickly they become Team Canada. Link to the story: www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20031224_121452_3816TSN's standings & game schedule: www.tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/feature.asp?fid=4385
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Post by MarmotMike on Dec 26, 2003 19:18:51 GMT -5
Canada opens with Spengler win
Canadian Press
12/26/2003
DAVOS, Switzerland (CP) - Yves Sarault's goal early in the third period proved to be the winner as Canada began defending its Spengler Cup title with a 3-2 win over the Krefeld Penguins on Friday.
Sarault converted a nice pass from defenceman Chris Belanger at 2:05 of the third to break a 2-2 tie.
Jean-Guy Trudel and Jame Pollock had the other goals for Canada.
The Penguins, the defending German League champions, fired head coach Butch Goring earlier this month after struggling to find their form this season. Goring was listed as the team's manager Friday.
Chris Herperger, of Esterhazy, Sask., and Montreal's Robert Guillet scored for Krefeld while former NHL player Terry Yake added an assist. Yake, of New Westminster, B.C., had 77 goals and 120 assists in 403 NHL career games with Hartford, Anaheim, Toronto, St. Louis and Washington.
Another familiar name on the Krefeld squad is winger Alexander Selivanov, who had 121 goals and 114 assists in 459 NHL games with Tampa Bay, Edmonton and Columbus - scoring 27 goals for the Oilers in 1999-2000.
In other action Friday, HC Davos of the Swiss Elite League defeated Jokerit of Finland 4-1.
Canada's next game is Sunday against Jokerit before facing Russian League champion Lokomotive Yaroslavl on Monday. The Canadians wrap up their round-robin schedule Tuesday against Davos.
Playing for Lokomotive Yaroslavl are defenceman Dmitry Yushkevich and winger Andrei Kovalenko, both former NHL regulars. Yushkevich, who played seven years in Toronto, finished last season with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Jokerit has Canadian wingers Glenn Metropolit and Todd Warriner - both former NHLers - as well as Finnish veterans Ville Peltonen and Sami Helenius.
Host Davos has two familiar names: former Toronto Maple Leafs winger Jonas Hoglund and Montreal Canadiens winger Oleg Petrov.
The first- and second-place teams in the round-robin meet in the gold medal game Dec. 31.
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Post by MarmotMike on Dec 26, 2003 19:21:03 GMT -5
Other scores... Helsinki - HC Davos (1:4) 26.12.2003 Jokerit Helsinki - HC Davos 1:4 (0:0, 1:1, 0:3) First Blood at Spengler Cup: Davos wins after a splendid last period! Tournament host Davos has won its first game after a splendid last period by scoring two fast goals in a row vs. Finnish top team Jokerit Helsinki. The first two periods saw two teams at a comparable level: Jokerit Helsinki with former Canadian NHL player Glen Metropolit in the roster showed their skating skills. Davos had the better start in the tournament by dominating the first period but had not opened the score despite of a lot of scoring oportunities. Finally it was Marc Gianola who had the honor to open the scoring at the tournament 2003. Davos had the merit to make the game and had more scoring chances than opponend Jokerit. Helsinki showed after rallying by one goal, why they won the Continental Cup the last season and why the experts are considering them as one of the best teams in Europe: Fast skating and technical skill brought them a few scoring opportnities and finally the scored the equalizer after 33 minutes with a onetimer (Konkaanperä, assists by Metropolit and Jantunen). But finally it was a great last period from Davos with 3 goals in a row who won the game: Fastbreaks and nice combination game was the strenght of the team from Switzerland. Between the 42nd minute and 49th minute of the game the decision came in favour of Davos. Solid goaltender Häkkinen had no chances to prevent the goals. Best players of Davos: Hauer, Petrov, Elik, von Arx, Ambühl. Best players Jokerit Helsinki: Jantunen, Metropolit, Peltonen, Pasi Häkkinnen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spengler Cup (official site - english): www.spenglercup.ch/index.cfm?lang=2
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Post by MarmotMike on Dec 28, 2003 18:27:28 GMT -5
Entertaining game. Canada looks like they're getting stronger as they get familiar with each other. They might be tired tomorrow when they paly against a tough Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (Russia) club.
Game summary courtesy of Spengler Cup official site: Helsinki - Canada (2:4) 28.12.2003 120 second horror for Jokerit: Second victory for Canada
Canada wins its second game of the tournament in a typical northamerican style: Physical play and concentration in defense was the key to success to win against the European continental champion Jokerit Helsinki. But it was a long way to go before they could celebrate the win: Jokerit was a tough opponent and was leading by a powerplay goal after the first period.
The Fins were the better team in the first half of the game but Canada came back with a triple goal scoring between the 31ist and 33rd minute.
Canada practiced a rough and tuogh style and allowed only a few shots in the second period.
Finally, it was the smart play in the neutral zone and a strong goaltending from NHL veteran Flaherty who saved the victory.
Best players for Canada were Flaherty, Domenichelli and Popovich.
Goals: 1:0 19:24 Hentunen Peltonen, 1:1 31:50 Roest, 1:2 32:32 Craig, 1:3 33:46 Popovic, 2:3 39:01 Malmivaara, 2:4 46:07 Domenichelli Pollock
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Post by pihinalle on Dec 29, 2003 11:01:18 GMT -5
Jokerit are not a good team anymore. Some years ago they had a terrific squad. They are second in SM-liiga but I think they are going to get down.
I haven't been able to do my SM-liiga updates this season but I tell you that TPS will be a tough team to beat at spring. They have a nice group with talent and very experienced former NHLers. I think some of these names are familiar to you: Antti Aalto, Mika Alatalo, Mikko Eloranta, Kai Nurminen, Jiri Vykoukal, Mikko Koivu (injured shoulder).
And of course Kärpät will be in the race for the championship.
TJ 11
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Post by MarmotMike on Dec 29, 2003 20:51:09 GMT -5
It was interesting to see that Jokerit had a few Canadians playing for them. Team Canada defeated Locomotiv Yaroslavl (Russia) 6-3 today and are in the Spengler Cup finals. However, Canada must finish the round-robin with a final game against Davos. www.tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/news_story.asp?id=65968
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Post by MarmotMike on Dec 30, 2003 16:55:17 GMT -5
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Post by MarmotMike on Dec 31, 2003 19:46:09 GMT -5
Canada repeats Spengler Cup title
The Canadian Press
12/31/2003
DAVOS, Switzerland (CP) - Give the team doctor and Don Cherry a big assist for Canada's Spengler Cup championship win Wednesday.
A flu-ridden Canadian team made up of Swiss-based players and a half-dozen AHLers defeated HC Davos 7-4 to defend its crown at the five-team tournament.
Former NHLer Paul DiPietro led the way with two goals, including the decisive goal five minutes into the third period, before a sellout crowd of 7,580.
It marked the fourth straight final between the two teams. The Davos side won the title in 2000 and 2001.
``To win it the way we did is very special,'' coach Gary Green said. ``Not that I had any doubts, because I didn't, but at the same time when you go into battle the way we did today with so many guys sick . . . In laymen's language, they puked their guts out at both ends all through the night. Some of them had one hour's sleep at best.
``That's a pretty tough way to have to go into a championship, but by God it feels good after you've won it.''
The Canadian dressing room was filled with IV bags and doctors' tables.
``Our doctor Jim Thorne gets the first star of the game as far as I'm concerned,'' Green said. ``This is like MASH.''
Green estimated seven of his players had been doubtful starters because of the flu. An ailing defenceman Brendan Bell played little more than a shift.
DiPietro, a native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., who plays for EV Zug in Switzerland, didn't play in Tuesday's 7-4 round-robin loss to Davos. He spent the day in bed with the flu.
Canada also got goals from Hnat Domenichelli, Mark Astley, Mike Maneluk, Jeff Toms and Jeff Shantz.
Maneluk was another flu victim. The Winnipeg native could only manage the first period of Tuesday's game, but he answered the bell Wednesday.
``I don't know how he played,'' Green said. ``Before the game I looked at him and said to I disagreeistant coaches `I don't think he can play. He can barely walk. How's he going to play?'''
Cherry's assist came via video. Green and the coaching staff used tape of Cherry's comments on Coach's Corner following last year's Spengler win to motivate the squad before the game.
``We showed them some great hits and great plays of us winning the Spengler Cup last year but Grapes started it off today. He was doing his ranting and raving and talking about the Spengler Cup and how these guys over here don't often times get a lot of credit and I tell you what the guys perked up and they had a pretty good smile on their faces. So tell my buddy Grapes thanks.''
DiPietro, who won a Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1993, also complimented Cherry.
``He's great to have on your side . . . He's a great guy and he's a great Canadian guy.''
The Swiss went ahead on the power play 65 seconds into the game but Canada responded quickly with goals by Domenichelli and Astley, shorthanded. Davos' Todd Elik, who spent eight seasons in the NHL with six teams, made it 2-2 at 11:46 of the first period. Maneluk gave Canada a 3-2 lead at 17:23.
Elik's second goal, 1:21 into the second period, tied it up before DiPietro went to work. The veteran forward, who has played for a dozen pro teams, made it 4-3 on the power play at the 15:40 mark of the second period and then stretched the lead to 5-2 just over five minutes into the third period. Former Toronto Maple Leaf Lonny Bohonos set up both goals.
Bohonos used to play for Davos and scored the overtime goal that beat Canada in the 2001 final. He now plays for Zurich.
Toms and Shantz padded the Canadian lead before Michel Riesen scored a consolation goal for the Swiss with 1:23 remaining.
Mike Pelino coached the Canadian team to the Spengler title last year.
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Post by sammy on Jan 1, 2004 9:10:09 GMT -5
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