BIG THIRD PERIOD LEADS CANADA TO 4-2 VICTORY OVER ADLER MANNHEIM

by Paul Romanuk

DAVOS, Switzerland – Canada has punched their ticket to the championship game at the 2007 Spengler Cup following a 4-2 win over Adler Mannheim on Sunday, the final day of round robin play.

Canada will face Russian squad Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the final on Monday. The Canadians had the upper hand in the round robin meeting between the two teams, scoring a 3-2 win on Saturday.

Canada entered the match virtually assured of a spot in Monday’s final – Mannheim needed to defeat Canada by at least four goals to keep their slim championship hopes alive.

Mannheim opened the scoring in the first period on a power play goal from Canadian-born Colin Forbes, but Canada came back with a pair in the second period from Ryan Keller, on the powerplay at 2:34, and Andre Benoit, at 11:40.

Pascal Trepanier kept slim Mannheim hopes alive with a goal 44 seconds into the final 20 minutes, pulling the Germans even, but Canada rounded out the scoring with goals from Dale McTavish and Simon Gamache to clinch the victory.

“We had a good game, I’ll take it,” said Gamache. “It was a good opportunity for us to do something, to keep things going and keep our confidence level up there.”

Sebastian Caron got the start in goal for Canada, making sure that Curtis Joseph will be well rested for Monday’s championship game.

“Our feeling is that we have two number one goalies on this team and we didn’t have any hesitation in putting Sebastian in,” said Canadian head coach Sean Simpson.

Canada has won the Spengler Cup 10 times since their first appearance in 1984, but none since 2003, despite playing in a pair of championship games since then.

“I’ve learned a lot the last few years working as an assistant,” said Simpson,” and the thing I’ve really wanted to do here is keep our guys focused.”

Gamache, for one, thinks everything is lining up as it should.

“We’ve done our homework,” said Gamache, “and we’ll be ready for the final exam.”

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Goals/Buts :
MAN Colin Forbes (Christoph Ullmann) 17:00 PP

Penalties/Pénalités :
MAN Rick Girard (Delay of Game) 4:00
CAN Cory Pecker (Tripping) 6:00
CAN Bench (Too Many Men) 8:00
CAN Travis Green (Boarding) 15:00

Goals/Buts :
CAN Ryan Keller (Yves Sarault, Marty Murray) 3:00 PP
CAN Andre Benoit (Serge Aubin, Simon Gamache) 12:00

Penalties/Pénalités :
MAN Eduard Lewandowski (Holding) 3:00
CAN J.P. Vigier (Interference) 4:00
MAN Michael Hackert (High Sticking) 6:00
MAN Martin Ancicka (Hooking) 8:00
MAN Tomas Martinec (Roughing) 10:00
CAN Cory Pecker (Roughing) 10:00
CAN Cory Pecker (Delay of Game) 16:00
MAN Rick Girard (Interference) 16:00

Goals/Buts :
MAN Pascal Trepanier (Colin Forbes, Rick Girard) 1:00
CAN Dale McTavish (Danny Syvret) 5:00
CAN Simon Gamache (Mark Giordano) 9:00

Penalties/Pénalités :
MAN Sven Butenschön (Cross Checking) 4:00
CAN Serge Aubin (Tripping) 4:00
CAN Yannick Tremblay (Interference) 7:00
MAN Dan McGillis (Tripping) 10:00
CAN Cory Pecker (Slashing) 12:00
MAN Michael Hackert (Hooking) 14:00
CAN J.P. Vigier (Tripping) 14:00
MAN Martin Ancicka (Holding) 16:00
CAN Danny Syvret (Interference) 18:00