Team Canada won its first game of the 2019 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland, thanks to a hat trick by right winger Kevin Clark of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Canadians squad beat HC Ocelari Trinec of the Czech Republic 4-1 on Boxing Day.
Clark’s first goal of the game was also the game winning goal. It came at 2:06 of the second period from Maxim Noreau of Montreal, Quebec and Adam Tambellini of Edmonton, Alberta, which put Canada up 2-0 at the time.
Clark then scored again at 6:59 of the second period from Ian Mitchell of St. Albert, Alberta to put Canada up 3-0. Clark then closed out the scoring with 1:01 left in the third period with an unassisted empty net goal, which put Canada up 4-1.
Canada’s other goal came from Kris Versteeg of Lethbridge, Alberta. Versteeg scored Canada’s first goal of the game at 5:45 of the first period on the power play from Dustin Jeffrey of Sarnia, Ontario and Tambellini.
Team Canada next plays the host team, HC Davos of Switzerland on Saturday. The Canadian team at the Spengler Cup is comprised of mostly the best Canadian hockey players playing professionally in Europe. In other action on Boxing Day, Switzerland’s HC Ambri-Piotta defeated Russia’s Salavat Yulaev Ufa 4-1.
