The U.S. Collegiate Selects and Sparta Praha (3:10 p.m.), as well as HCD and Fribourg-Gottéron (8:15 p.m.), will determine the two finalists at the 97th Spengler Cup in Davos on Tuesday. Youth versus experience is the theme of the first clash, followed by a major all-Swiss showdown.

When the U.S. college selection arrived in Davos on December 23, it was described as a mystery package. Nobody could really assess the qualities and relative strength of the student team. Eager students versus battle-hardened professionals was the prevailing view. By now, however, it is clear: the college selection plays excellent, extremely fast ice hockey. What’s more, the young North Americans are by no means pure amateurs who briefly step onto the ice in the evening after a long day of studying. They train like professionals – and many of them have a hockey career ahead of them. Fourteen players have been drafted by NHL teams. They are technically very well schooled. It will therefore be fascinating to see how the nimble 21- to 25-year-old Americans cope with Sparta Praha. The Czechs boast a seasoned and composed lineup.

Davos versus Gottéron is the Swiss classic of the moment. HCD lead the National League standings convincingly, with Fribourg-Gottéron following in second place. The two teams already met in the Spengler Cup semifinal a year ago. Back then, the Fribourg side claimed the upper hand in a dramatic final phase. Linden Vey equalised for the visitors in the 47th minute. With 252 seconds remaining, Patrick Bertschy put Gottéron ahead 3:2, and 85 seconds before the final siren Jakob De la Rose sealed the win with an empty-net goal. “Now it’s time for revenge,” says HCD goaltender Sandro Aeschlimann.

Women on Spengler Cup ice

On the fifth Spengler Cup matchday, three games will be played at the zondacrypto Arena. The programme on Tuesday morning opens with the women’s game. At 11 a.m., the HCD Ladies face the Ladies of HC Fribourg-Gottéron in the Women’s League. The Fribourg team currently sits fourth in the standings, while Davos occupies sixth place. In league play, the Gottéron players have usually had the upper hand in direct encounters. However, shortly before Christmas the Graubünden side sent out a special statement: just before Christmas, the Davos women knocked out their rivals away from home in the quarterfinals of the Swiss Cup with a 2:1 victory.

Photo: Keystone

U.S. Collegiate Selects

HC Sparta Praha