Canada – Straubing: 2-4 (1-1, 1-1, 0-2)
Ice stadium, Davos – Arb.: MM. Hebeisen, Ondracek; Rampir, Pekkala.
Buts: 4e Leader (St. Denis, Connolly / 5c4) 0-1, 9e Carr (White, Jooris) 1-1, 26e Carr (Hazen, Hoefenmayer / PP1) 2-1, 32e Lipon (Connolly, Leonhardt) 2-2, 50e Together (Lipon, Connolly) 2-3, 59e Fleischer (Heath, Braun / EN) 2-4.
Team Canada: Ellis; Aspirot, Curran; Gregoire, Hoefenmayer; Hollowell, White; Bowey, Irwin; C. McKenzie, Shaw, Seney; Hazen, Maillet, Hudon; Gagner, George, Carr; Coe, Fritz, Landry. Coach: Gallant.
Straubing: McIntyre; Braun, Brandt; Green, Samuelsson; Nogier, Klein; Daschner, carpenter; Lipon, Samanski, Connolly; Fleischer, Scott, Hede; St. Denis, Leonhardt, Lyre; Schönberger, Brunnhuber, S. McKenzie. Coach: Pine country.
On Monday afternoon, the Spengler Cup experienced one of its greatest sensations in more than a century of history: in the semifinals, the Straubing Tigers eliminated the big favorite, Team Canada, on the score 4 to 2, despite difficult conditions.
Everything spoke against the Straubing Tigers: the opponent and their own fatigue. Because for the Germans, it was the fourth Spengler Cup match in less than 70 hours. The Canadian team, on the other hand, was only playing its third match in five days. The Tigers, however, sold their skin in sensational fashion. They did it with a well-thought-out tactic. In defense, they were uncompromising and very disciplined, with the goalkeeper Zane McIntyre as a great pillar. And they courageously seized every opportunity to go on the offensive. Furthermore, the Germans were not impressed by Canadian toughness in the duels.
The opening score gave Straubing players some breathing room. Taylor Renter sent the puck into the goal behind the Canadian goalie Colton Ellis during the first power play (4th). The Canadian from Lugano Daniel Carr equalized in the 8th minute and also made it 2 to 1 in the second third (26th). But what did the Tigers do after this delay or setback? They lit fireworks. With his 24th shot on the overseas goal, JC Lipon completed a dream combination for 2-2 (32nd).
In the third period, Ellis prevented the Tigers from conceding a third goal during a four-minute power play thanks to numerous saves. The Canadian goaltender was helpless shortly after, however, when the puck passed over him like an arc lamp after a deflected shot from Joshua Samanski (50th). The last ten minutes of play were then an intense assault from the Canadians. But they came up against the big McIntyre, who stopped 30 shots in total. With 107 seconds left in the match, Tim Fleischer settled everything by scoring 4 to 2 in the empty cage.
The Canadian team must therefore still wait for its first triumph at the Spengler Cup since 2019. On the other hand, the Straubing Tigers, who came as big outsiders, could win the tournament from their first participation, Tuesday noon, during the final . It remains to determine his opponent…
(Source: Spengler Cup online editorial)
(Source: Spengler Cup/YouTube)
