Team Canada began the 2018 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday with a tight 2-1 win over the host team from Switzerland, HC Davos. Matt D’Agostini of Sault. Ste. Marie, Ontario, scored the game winning goal at 3:43 of the second period from Andrew Ebbett of Vernon, British Columbia. Both D’Agostini and Ebbett both played in the National Hockey League at one time with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Zach Boychuk of Airdrie, Alberta scored the other goal for Team Canada. He scored from Simon Despres of Laval, Quebec and Zac Dalpe of Paris, Ontario at 5:24 of the first period. Meanwhile, Zach Fucale of Laval, Quebec made 24 saves in an outstanding goaltending performance for Team Canada.
The 2-1 win for Team Canada was one of two games on Wednesday that ended in a 2-1 scoreline. The other was Russia’s Metallurg Magnitogorsk, who beat the Czech Republic’s HC Ocelari Trinec 2-1 in a shootout. On Thursday, Finland’s KalPa handed HC Ocelari Trinec their second straight loss with a 3-1 win. The loss means HC Ocelari Trinec will be in the quarterfinals, while the winner of Metallurg Magnitogorsk and KalPa on Friday will play in the semifinals.
Canada can clinch a semifinal berth to the 2018 Spengler Cup with a win over Germany’s Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers on Friday. Team Canada is looking for its fourth consecutive Spengler Cup title, a feat they accomplished previously from 1995 to 1998.
