2013 Spengler Cup Recap

Spengler Cup? More like Geneve Cup, since their competition got Servette.

Dumb joke aside, this tournament belonged to the non-hosting Swiss club. Despite a few scares, they went undefeated in the tournament.

Group Torriani

Team	Wins	OT/SOW	OT/SOL	Losses	Points	Goal Diff.
Geneve-Servette HC	1	1	0	0	5	+6
CSKA Moscow	1	0	1	0	4	0
Rochester Americans	0	0	0	2	0	-6

Geneve-Servette and Rochester started off the Spengler Cup. Geneve-Servette opened the scoring midway through the first, when Kaspar Daugavins scored shorthanded. Things started to heat up, as in the second period Luke Adams was ejected for a questionable hit on Daugavins. Matthew scored to put Geneve-Servette up two late in the second. Geneve-Servette continued scoring in the third, adding three goals, increasing their lead to 5-0. Before the game ended things got out of hand, and it was when Frederik Piuze-Roy  showed off his Roy blood and went crazy.

After the loss, Rochester was at it the next day against CSKA Moscow. It was the Russian squad who opened the scoring, as Igor Grigorenko's powerplay goal gave CSKA Moscow the lead late in the first. Philip Varone would score seconds before the period ended to tie the game. Luke Adams scored 28 seconds into the second to give Rochester their first lead of the tournament. It didn't last long though, as Alexander Radulov scored three minutes later to tie the game back up. CSKA Moscow took the lead back in the third period, and kept it this time. Nikolai Prokhorkin would score on the powerplay halfway through the third, with Grigorenko adding another one later in the period. Adams did score with a second left in the game. CSKA won the game 4-3.

Geneve-Servette and CSKA Moscow would face off to see who would get a bye into the semi-finals. Alexander Frolov would score two minutes into the game to give the Russian squad the lead. Denis Hollenstein scored minutes later to tie the game. CSKA regained the lead in the second as Alexander Radulov and Sergei Federov (yes, that Sergei Federov) scored halfway through the second to give CSKA Moscow a 3-2 lead. Kaspar Daugavins would score minutes later to cut the lead to one. Alexander Picard would play hero for Geneve-Servette, scoring with three-and-a-half minutes left in regulation to tie the game. In overtime, Yakov Rykov would take a tripping penalty, giving Geneve-Servette the powerplay. They didn't waste that opportunity, as Daugavins would score his second of the night to give Geneve-Servette the 4-3 win.

Group Cattini

Team	Wins	OT/SOW	OT/SOL	Losses	Points	Goal Diff.
HC Davos	2	0	0	0	6	+5
Team Canada	1	0	0	1	3	0
HC Vitkovice Steel	0	0	0	2	0	-5

Team Canada faced HC Vitkovice Steel to open this group. It was a game of matching goals, as Alexandre Bolduc would score minutes in to give Team Canada the lead before Lukas Kucsera tied the game. Glen Metropolit scored halfway though the first to give Team Canada the lead again. Richard Stehlik tied the game up on a powerplay later in the period. Rudolf Huna gave HC Vitkovice their first lead halfway though the second. While it only took a few minutes for Team Canada to respond (courtesy of a Micki Dupont powerplay goal), it only took seconds for HC Vitkovice to take the lead again (thanks to Peter Huzevka). Team Canada didn't respond until midway though the third, as Byron Ritchie would get the tying goal. Derrick Walser would give Team Canada the lead for the final time this game, as they hung on for the 5-4 win.

HC Vitkovice faced HC Davos after their loss, and it didn't get better for them. HC Davos would score two quick goals in the first, and it was all that they ended up needing. The Swiss club did add two more in the second and one more in the third. HC Vitkovice did eventually get on the board, as Roman Szturc scored four minutes into the third. It was all the Czech club could muster, as HC Davos won 5-1.

The highly anticipated HC Davos-Team Canada matchup was a close one early on. HC Davos finally opened the scoring in the second, as Marcus Paulsson scored to break the deadlock. Peter Guggisberg would add to the host's lead minutes later. Team Canada wouldn't respond until the third, as Darren Hayder finally put the Canadians on the board. Andres Ambuhl would add a powerplay goal to add to HC Davos' lead. Team Canada added a powerplay goal a minute later, courtesy of Maxim Noreau. Team Canada couldn't get an equalizer afterwards. HC Davos won 3-2, advancing to the semi-finals.

Quarter Finals

CSKA Moscow 3 (OT)
HC Vitkovice Steel 2

HC Vitkovice took it to CSKA Moscow in the first period, but wouldn't be until the second before they showed up on the score sheet. Richard Stehlik would score just over four minutes into the second, with Vladimir Svacina scoring 30 seconds later to add to the Czech club's lead. Ruslan Zainullin would eventually put CSKA Moscow on the board. Vladimir Zharkov's powerplay goal with seconds left in the second period tied the game for CSKA Moscow. Not much happened in the third, so overtime was needed to break the draw. It took 46 seconds for Yakov Rylov to score on the powerplay and win the game for CSKA Moscow. The Russian club move on to face HC Davos in the semi-finals.

Team Canada 6
Rochester Americans 3

Bryon Ritchie opened the scoring for Team Canada just over seven minutes into the first. Jacob Micflikier added a pair of goals later in the period. Matt Hackett would replace Nathan Lieuwen to start the second period for Rochester. It didn't take Rochester to score in the second, as Alexander Hutchings broke Team Canada's shutout. Derrick Wasler a few minutes later for Team Canada, but Rochester soon responded, as Daniel Catenacci scored 50 seconds later. Rochester would pull within one, as Joel Armia scored on the powerplay. Team Canada did their own goalie swap before the start of the third period, as Allen York came in for Chris Mason. Team Canada added to their lead in the third, as Bryon Ritchie's powerplay goal midway through made the game 5-3. Alexandre Giroux would add an empty net goal. Team Canada won 6-3, and move on to face Geneve-Servette in the semi-finals.

Semi Finals

HC Davos 4
CSKA Moscow 5 (SO)

HC Davos took an early lead, as Enzo Corvi scored three minutes into the game. Ilari Filppula scored four minutes later to tie the game. Nicklas Danielsson would score later in the period, giving HC Davos the lead. CSKA started the second period on the powerplay, and it only took 19 seconds for them to capitalize on it, as Alexander Radulov gets credit for the goal. Radulov would then score halfway though the period to give the Russian club their first lead of the game. Both team would swap goals in the later half of the period. HC Davos needed one goal in the third to tie the game, and they got just that. Peter Sejna's powerplay goal came minutes before the end of regulation, and tied the game. Overtime solved nothing, so a shootout was needed. After Ville Koistinen missed for HC Davos, Radulov scored to give CSKA Moscow the lead. Both shooters in round 2 lost the puck. Reto von Arx scored to tie the shootout. It didn't last long, as Alexander Frolov scored, giving CSKA Moscow the win.


Geneve-Servette 6
Canada 5

Before the game, Team Canada goalie Chris Mason got injured and was replaced by the Rochester American's Matt Hackett. Geneve-Servette's special teams were the story of the first. Matthew Lombardi scored a shorthanded goal early on, while Denis Hollenstein scored later on the powerplay. Geneve-Servette continued to build on their lead in the second, as Inti Pestoni scored moments into the period. Canada switched out Hackett for Allen York after the goal. Team Canada responded soon after, as Alexandre Giroux broke the shutout. Arnaud Jacquemet scored halfway though the period to restore Geneve-Servette's 3-goal lead. Travis Roche scored on the powerplay near the end of the second to pull Team Canada back within two. The third period started off just like the first, with a quick goal by Lombardi (this time at even strength). It took a while, but Jacob Micflikier once again pulled Team Canada within two. Unfortunately for the Canadians, that didn't last long, as Daniel Vukovic scored to put Geneve-Servette up three. Team Canada's powerplay came alive in the last five minutes, as Darren Haydar and Jason Williams both scored powerplay goals to get Team Canada within a goal. It wasn't to be, as Geneve-Servette held on to win 6-5 and move onto the final.

Final

CSKA Moscow 3
Geneve-Servette HC 5

Geneve-Servette opened the scoring seven minutes into the first, when Juraj Simek put one past Rastislav Stana on the powerplay. Denis Hollenstein added to the lead a few minutes later. Geneve kept adding to the lead in the second, as Lennart Petrell scored moments into the period. Kevin Romy made the game 4-0 later in the period. CSKA Moscow finally got on the board, as Oleg Saprykin scored with a minute left in the second. The third period was all CSKA Moscow, as they outshot Geneve-Servette 22-5. Robert Mayer stood tall for the Swiss club, only letting 2 get by him in the final period. Kaspar Daugavins scored an empty netter to ice the game. Geneve-Servette win their first Spengler Cup.