Tim Ramholt puts up determined fight for the puck

HC Davos turned the corner on the road to the Finals early this tournament.  The Swiss Champions are leading the 83^rd Spengler Cup having not lost a point after two days of play.  Today Davos won 5:3 against the Czech Champions Karlovy.

Kolnik: What additional fire power

The player who had the biggest impact was Juraj Kolnik.  Borrowed from Servette-Genève, Kolnik single-handedly brought the Czech team to its knees with three scores.  After having made the score 1:1 and then 2:1 for the home team, the 29 year old Slovak scored the deciding goal 136 seconds before the end of the game to make the final tally 5:3.

With a double score HC Davos managed to make a crucial difference during the second period.  In the 28^th minute, Kolnik who had already scored the equalizer connected with a perfect pass from Reto von Arx to up the score to 2:1.  And just 23 seconds later, Marc Wieser scored for Davos with practically an identical play making the difference 3:1.

Nervous play till the game's end

Just seconds before the second break, Karlovy was able to answer with a goal.  The Czech top-scorer Kumstat overcame Reto Berra for the second time, who showed himself to be a less than convincing substitute for regular goal keeper Genoni, scoring with a sharp angle shot.

But even after the 4:2 lead scored by the Ambri-Professional Paolo Duca the East- European team fought their way back into the game: Kristek surprised Berra with a precise flick of the puck over the goalie's stick hand.  Only after Kolnik's third goal did the winless HC Karlovy seem to lose all energy for any more of a comeback.

HC Davos - Karlovy Vary 5:3 (1:1, 2:1, 2:1)

Vaillant Arena. -- 6746 spectators. - Referees: Reiber/Stalder, Arm/Müller. -- Goals: 9. Skuhravy (Kostal) 0:1. 20. (19:51) Kolnik (Naumenko, Guggisberg) 1:1. 28. (27:51) Kolnik (Reto von Arx/Ausschluss Kristek) 2:1. 29. (28:14) Marc Wieser (Dino Wieser, Rizzi) 3:1. 40. (39:39) Kumstat (Nemec/disqualification Helfer) 3:2. 47. Duca (Taticek) 4:2. 52. Kristek (Melenovsky) 4:3. 58. Kolnik (Reto von Arx, Guggisberg) 5:3. -- Penalties: five times two minutes against HCD, five times two minutes plus ten minutes (Prosek) against Karlovy.

HC Davos: Berra; Guerra, Forster; Naumenko, Helfer; Jan von Arx, Back; Ramholt, Grossmann; Guggisberg, Reto von Arx, Kolnik; Widing, Setzinger, Joggi; Marc Wieser, Rizzi, Dino Wieser; Duca, Taticek, Clarke.

Karlovy Vary: Sablik; Nemec, Loginow; Dobron, Cutta; Kutlak, Paryzek; Mucha, Prosek; Kumstat, Skuhravy, Kostal; Palffy, Pech, Hluchy; Sjusin, Kristek, Melenovsky; Zucker, Kubena, Zatovic.

General Notes: HCD without Marha, Sciaroni (both injured), Salmonsson, Bürgler (both not nominated for game/surplus players). 29. Timeout by Karlovy Vary. 34. Goal post by Kolnik. 52. Sjusin drops out after serious facial injury. 58. Goal post by Dino Wieser. 60. Goal post by Palffy. Karlovy after 59:22 without Goalie.(Si)