Jean-Pierre Vigier was among the winners today

Following the HC Davos lead, Team Canada also kicked off their campaign in the 83^rd Spengler Cup with a victory.  The Canadians defeated the Czech champions Karlovy Vary 7:6.  However, the game needed to be decided in a penalty shootout. 

Closest of all results

After a hard-fought game, the decision finally fell to a penalty shootout where Serge Aubin was the only one to make good his attempt.  The shooters for the Czech team failed to come through with the needed scores; two of their attempts even missed the goal cage altogether.  A likely Canadian victory had started to emerge throughout the match. Even though  Karlovy Vary had got the better of the Canadians early on, they were unable to hold the pace.  The Canadians came alarmingly close to victory already during overtime where they had more shots on goal (with Vigiers having a chance after 64 minutes).

Spectacle in the Vaillant Arena

During the regular play time, the Czech champions and the Team Canada engaged in an even exchange of shots.  The lead changed hands six times with each team holding a goal lead three times a piece.  The most spectacular exchange of goals happened shortly before and shortly after the second break, when six goals were scored in 323 seconds, raising the score board from 2:2 to 5:5.  That was the most goals scored in one game since 1993 when the HC Davos came from behind (1:5) to defeat the Russian team Traktor Tscheljabinsk 8:7.

Telegram

Team Canada - Karlovy Vary 7:6 (1:1, 3:4, 2:1, 0:0) after penalty shootout

Vaillant-Arena. - 6746 spectators (sold out). - SR Bulanow/Reiber (Russ/Sz), Wehrli/Müller (Sz). - Goals: 17. Dobron (Melenovsky) 0:1. 19. Siklenka (Robitaille, Kurtis McLean/penalty called) 1:1. 26. Kristek 1:2. 28. Heins (Devereaux, Rivers) 2:2. 36. (35:05) Roche (Brett McLean, Vigier) 3:2. 37. (36:03) Kristek (Tribuncovs, Mensator/ disqualification Pech!) 3:3. 38. (37:08) Kurtis McLean (disqualification Pech) 4:3. 39. (38:34) Sjusin (Kutlak, Mucha/ disqualification Curtis Brown) 4:4. 40. (39:40) Pech 4:5 (own goal Jackman). 41. (40:28) Bell (Devereaux) 5:5. 50. Daigle (Vigier, Roche) 6:5. 53. Kostal (Kubena, Kumstat) 6:6. - Penaltys: Palffy - (failed attempt), Robitaille - (failed attempt); Kristek - (missed shot), Aubin 1:0; Pech - (missed shot). -- Penalties: 5 times 2 plus 10 Minutes (Kurtis McLean) against Canada, 3 times 2 Minutes against Karlovy Vary.

Lineup

Team Canada: LeNeveu (41. Dubielewicz); Jackman, Heins; Roche, Rivers; Tremblay, Dupont; Murphy, Siklenka; Devereaux, Curtis Brown, Bell; Brooks, Robitaille, Daigle; Ouellet, Aubin, McTavish; Vigier, Kurtis McLean, Brett McLean.

Karlovy Vary: Mensator; Nemec, Kutlak; Dobron, Cutta; Mucha, Tribuncovs; Loginow, Paryzek; Kumstat, Skuhravy, Kostal; Palffy, Pech, Pletka; Sjusin, Kristek, Melenovsky; Zucker, Kubena, Dej. (Si)

Translation: Olivia Kaferly