Team Canada had to go into overtime to save itself from elimination at the 84th Spengler Cup tonight. Thanks to Micki DuPont's power play goal against Sparta Prague in the 64th minute, the Canadians have progressed to the final 4.
In the tournament's second semi-final (Thursday, 8:15pm), Team Canada will be playing against hosts HC Davos again. The eleven-time tournament winner again didn't play its best hockey tonight and gave away a two-goal advantage twice. But the Czechs themselves were to blame for this defeat in the end: They were penalized because they had too many men on the ice. This was a chance the Canadian power play specialists (7 goals in 184 minutes) wouldn't want to miss of course - Kloten Flyers player DuPont scored from the blue line.
Peter Taking Center Stage
After two rather mediocre performances, Sparta's Emanuel Peter, loaned from the Swiss National League team Biel, found himself in the middle of the action. It was the Swiss center who ultimately made the Czechs' comeback possible: After the Canadians had pulled ahead 0:2 and 1:3, Peter scored two goals to keep his team in the game. For his first goal in the 28th minute, he turned immediately and surprised AHL goalie Deslauriers with a wrist shot into the corner of the Canadian net.
Just five minutes later, Team Canada's goalkeeper dropped a slapshot - Peter was in the right spot and converted the rebound; he scored his second goal of the night to make the score 2:3. These two goals are a remarkable achievement for Peter, who has only scored one goal in ten games in the Swiss league this season.
In Peter's wake, the Czechs became stronger by the minute and the Canadians got into more and more trouble. When DuPont was sent to the penalty box towards the end of the second period, David Vyborny, the biggest star on the ice tonight with five World Championship wins, didn't waste his chance: He deflected defender Hanzlik's shot and left the Canadian goalkeeper without a chance.
Team Canada - Sparta Prague 4:3 (1:0, 2:3, 0:0, 1:0) after Overtime
