Canada 4 - Mora IK 3  shootout

Spengler Cup
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
20:15 Local | 02:15 ET
Davos, SUI

Canada beats Mora in a penalty shootout

Already the evening game on the first day of the tournament went in a penalty shootout. In the end Canada succeeded and beat Mora 4:3 although the Swedish team was closer to win the game in the regular time. But particularly in the shootout, Mora acted unfortunately.

Even as Stacy Roest scored the 3:2 for Team Canada in the 53. minute, Mora tried to close the gap. 2 minutes before the end of the regular time Mikko Kurvinen scored the 2:2. Shortly before and after the 2:3 Mora hit only the goal post from Canada goaltender Justin Pogge. As Roest scored Mora’s goaltender Mikko Rämö gave an unmeant assist, and got injured.

In the run-up to this Spengler Cup the first performance of Mora was highly expected. Nobody knew about the power of the 10th ranked Mora but during the game against Canada the team proofed, that it is a worthy Spengler Cup participant.

In the first period, the Team Canada was superiority, but the result after twenty minutes was only 1:1. In the second period the Swedish “outsider” team played quite as well as Canada and in the third period even better. The point Mora gained in the penalty shootout is well-deserved.

For the Canadians the story does not repeat. Exactly one year ago, they lost their first game against Metallurg Magnitogorsk in a penalty shootout. The team of legendary head coach Pat Quinn played like everybody had expected. The offensive was obviously better than the defence.

Best Players: Brandon Reid / Eric Johansson

Team Canada: Pogge; Heins, Harrison; Syvret, Doig; Strudwick, Scalzo; Law, Kolanos, Jamie Wright; Gardner, Pittis, Maneluk; Tyler Wright, Roest, Herperger; Reid, Brent, Holden.

Mora: Rämö (53. Pitkämäki); Skogs, Kultanen; Jonsson, Määtä; Kurvinen, Cedergren; Bruun; Elomo, Huml, Johansson; Jardine, Bastiansen, Beaudoin; Nilsson, Simons, Jansson; Tuooko, Granström, Wessner.

Penalties: 7 x 2 minutes Team Canada, 5 x 2 minutes Mora