In Davos, it was the Czechs of Pardubice who celebrated at the end of the opening match of the most famous club tournament in the world, the Spengler Cup, born 101 years ago and now in its 96th edition. In fact, Dinamo overcame Friborg on penalties, after having closed the score at 2-2 in the 60th minute and after 5 minutes of overtime.
In front of 7,270 spectators in a sold-out Eishalle, Dinamo scored the first goal of the 2024 tournament after 9 minutes and 7 seconds of play: Musil's illuminating assist for Radil, who flew away and controlled the puck towards the Burgundian goalkeeper Berra and then coldly glares at him. A minute later a melee breaks out, which ends with a match penalty on each side (Streule and Kaut) and with 2 minutes (De la Rose punished) in 5 against 4 in favor of the Czechs, who capitalize on their numerical superiority right at the end of the powerplay thanks to Rakos, who at 12″47 scored the 2-0, a partial which will close the first period despite Friborg's attempts to reopen the match.
Gottéron, coached a few days ago by Leuenberger who came to replace Emond, thanks to the reinforcements was able to count on the contribution of 9 foreigners, but without enjoying them in terms of achievements: in the central period, the Burgundians – despite being preferred to the Czechs – were in fact they only managed to hit the crossbar with Walser.
Things went decidedly better in the third period, with the Friborg team – much more proactive than their opponents – capable of shortening the gap right at the stroke of the tenth minute: it was Rathgeb who managed, also thanks to the complicity of the Pardubice rearguard, to beat the Czech goalkeeper Will . And then, within less than a minute, they were able to even equalize: the author of the second Burgundy goal was Gunderson.
The last minutes are therefore very intense, with rapid reversals and chances on both fronts, but at the third siren the result is tied (2-2), and so it becomes necessary to go to overtime (5 minutes played 3 against 3) . The situation, however, remains unchanged, and the final verdict will therefore be decided by penalties: the Czechs prevailed in the first match of the tournament (and of the Torriani Group), thanks to a transformation made by Sedlak. Gottéron, by virtue of this defeat, will return to the ice tomorrow against the Finnish Karpat, while Dinamo will have a day of rest.
The second match of the day, the one between the hosts Davos and Team Canada (Gruppo Cattini), will take place at 8.15pm. The two teams have already faced each other 32 times in the history of the tournament, with a perfectly equal balance sheet, given the 16 successes each.
Friborgo – Dinamo Pardubice (0-2 0-0 2-0 0-0 0-1) d.r. 2-3
Rarely: 10' Raider (Musill) 0-1. 13' Rakos (Dvorak, Pochobradsky) 0-2. 50' Rathgeb (Of The Rose) 1-2. 51' Gunderson (Vey) 2-2. Rigorous: Paulovic -, Wallmark -; Sedlak 0-1, Vey 0-1; Radil 0-1, Sörensen 0-1; Hercik 0-1, Audette 0-1; Kousal 0-1, De la Rose 0-1. Penalties: 2 x 2 '+ 10' and match penalty for Streule against Friborg; 3 x 2' + 10' and penalty for Kaut against Pardubice.
Note: 6'267 spectators. – Referees Borga/Ondracek (Sui/Cze).
Friborg: Berra; Diaz, Borgman; Gunderson, Streule; Rathgeb, Jecker; Sails; Sörensen, Wallmark, Audette; Bertschy, Vey, Lily; Sprunger, De la Rose, Marchon; Kristof, Walser, Mottet.
Dinamo Pardubice: Will (50' Vomacka); Ceresnak, Musil; Zhoril, Dvorak; Hajek, Vala; Hradek, Houdek; Kaut, Sedlak, Kelemen; Radil, Paulovic, Kousal; Vondracek, Poulicek, Mandate; Hercik, Rakos, Pochobradsky.
