[panoo]

Nine former world junior players on Canada's Spengler Cup team
Canadian Press
Dec 19, 2006, 12:44 PM EST

CALGARY (CP) - Nine former world junior players will represent Canada at the Spengler Cup international hockey tournament, including goalie Justin Pogge.

Pogge, who led Canada to gold at the world junior tournament in Vancouver last year, was loaned to Canada by the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs. Pogge is 5-9-0 with a 3.27 goals-against average and .898 save percentage with the AHL's Toronto Marlies this season.

The eight other former world junior players slated to play in the Dec. 26-31 club tournament are goaltender Devan Dubnyk (2006), defencemen Danny Syvret (2005), Jason Doig (1997) and Jay Harrison (2001, 2002) and forwards Jamie Wright (1996), Josh Holden (1998), Brandon Reid (2000, 2001) and Tyler Wright (1992, 1993).

"Experience counts at any international tournament and the Spengler Cup is no different," head coach Pat Quinn said in a statement. "Team Canada is made up of a lot of players who know what it takes to win on the international stage. I'm confident with this group that we'll be able to represent the country well over the holidays."

FULL STORY

 

[panoo]

2006-2007 Canadian Spengler Roster

Goaltenders
# ---- Player ---- S/C - Ht - Wt - Birthdate - Hometown - 2006 - 2007 Team
01 - Justin Pogge - L - 6'3" - 198 - 04/22/1986 - Penticton, BC - Toronto Marlies / AHL
38 - Adam Munro - L - 6'1" - 195 - 11/12/1982 - Burlington, ON - Fribourg / SUI
40 - Devan Dubnyk - R - 6'5" - 200 - 04/05/1986 - Calgary, AB - Stockton Thunder / ECHL

Defence
# ---- Player ---- S/C - Ht - Wt - Birthdate - Hometown - 2006 - 2007 Team
03 - Jason Doig - R - 6'3" - 225 - 01/29/1977 - Montréal, QC - Chelyabinsk / RUS
05 - Shawn Heins - L - 6'3" - 225 - 12/24/1973 - Eganville, ON - Fribourg / SUI
25 - Danny Syvret - L - 5'10" - 200 - 07/13/1985 - Milgrove, ON - Grand Rapids / AHL
27 - Brad Fast - L - 6'0" - 195 - 02/21/1980 - Fort St. John, BC - Langnau / SUI
34 - Jason Strudwick - L - 6'3" - 230 - 07/17/1975 - Edmonton, AB - Lugano / SUI
43 - Jay Harrison - R - 6'4" - 211 - 03/11/1982 - Oshawa, ON - Toronto Marlies / AHL
46 - Mario Scalzo - L - 5'9" - 187 - 11/11/1984 - St-Hubert, QC - Iowa Stars / AHL

Forwards
# ---- Player ---- S/C - Ht - Wt - Birthdate - Hometown - 2006 - 2007 Team
09 - Domenic Pittis - L - 5'11" - 180 - 01/10/1974 - Calgary, AB - Kloten / SUI
10 - Serge Aubin - L - 6'0" - 190 - 02/15/1975 - Val d'Or, QC - Servette / SUI
11 - Kirby Law - R - 6'1" - 191 - 03/11/1977 - McCreary, MB - Servette / SUI
12 - Chris Herperger - L - 6'0" - 204 - 02/24/1974 - Esterhazy, SK - Kloten / SUI
15 - Ryan Gardner - R - 6'6" - 225 - 04/18/1978 - Toronto, ON - Lugano / SUI
19 - Stacy Roest - R - 5'10" - 190 - 03/15/1974 - Lethbridge, AB - Rapperswil / SUI
22 - Dale McTavish - L - 6'0" - 207 - 02/28/1972 - Eganville, ON - Zurich / SUI
23 - Mike Maneluk - R - 6'0" - 190 - 01/10/1973 - Winnipeg, MB - Zug / SUI
25 - Jamie Wright - L - 6'1" - 196 - 05/13/1976 - Kitchener, ON - Servette / SUI
28 - Tyler Wright - R - 6'0" - 190 - 04/06/1973 - Canora, SK - Basel / SUI
35 - Krys Kolanos - R - 6'0" - 200 - 07/27/1981 - Calgary, AB - Langnau / SUI
55 - Brandon Reid - R - 5'8" - 185 - 03/09/1981 - Kirkland, QC - Manitoba Moose / AHL
63 - Josh Holden - L - 6'0" - 189 - 01/18/1976 - Calgary, AB - Fribourg / SUI

Coaches
Pat Quinn, Head Coach Hamilton, ON Hockey Canada
Jim Koleff, Assistant Coach Hamilton, ON Zurich
Sean Simpson, Assistant Coach Brampton, ON EV Zug

Staff
Bob Nicholson, President Penticton, BC Hockey Canada
Johnny Misley, Vice president, Hockey Vancouver, BC Hockey Canada
Ron Pyette, Team Manager Sault Ste. Marie, ON Hockey Canada
Robin McDonald, Equipment manager Didsbury, AB Hockey Canada
Dr. Jim Thorne, Team Doctor Calgary, AB Hockey Canada
Pat Clayton, Therapist Calgary, AB Hockey Canada
Andy Huppe, Massage therapist Jona, CH Hockey Canada

 

[panoo]

2006-2007 Spengler Cup TV Schedule

All games involving Canada, are on RSN (Rogers Sportsnet)

Complete TV schedule, all time zones for RSN

Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Gm # - Time - Game - Group - Round - Arena - Location
01 - 03:00 PM CET - EHC VS HCD - SC - Round Robin - Davos Ice Stadium - Davos, CH
02 - 08:15 PM CET - CAN VS MOR - SC - Round Robin - Davos Ice Stadium - Davos, CH

Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Gm # - Time - Game - Group - Round - Arena - Location
03 - 03:00 PM CET - MOR VS. KHI - SC - Round Robin - Davos Ice Stadium - Davos, CH
04 - 08:15 PM CET - CAN VS. HCD - SC - Round Robin - Davos Ice Stadium - Davos, CH

Thursday, December 28, 2006
Gm # - Time - Game - Group - Round - Arena - Location
05 - 03:00 PM CET - HCD VS. MOR - SC - Round Robin - Davos Ice Stadium - Davos, CH 06 - 08:15 PM CET - EHC VS. KHI - SC - Round Robin - Davos Ice Stadium - Davos, CH

Friday, December 29, 2006
Gm # - Time - Game - Group - Round - Arena - Location
07 - 03:00 PM CET - CAN VS. KHI - SC - Round Robin - Davos Ice Stadium - Davos, CH
08 - 08:15 PM CET - MOR VS. EHC - SC - Round Robin - Davos Ice Stadium - Davos, CH

Saturday, December 30, 2006
Gm # - Time - Game - Group - Round - Arena - Location
09 - 03:00 PM CET - CAN VS. EHC - SC - Round Robin - Davos Ice Stadium - Davos, CH
10 - 08:15 PM CET - KHI VS. HCD - SC - Round Robin - Davos Ice Stadium - Davos, CH

Sunday, December 31, 2006
Gm # - Time - Game - Group - Round - Arena - Location
11 - 12:00 PM CET - TBD VS. TBD - Championship - Davos Ice Stadium - Davos, CH

 

[moggs]

Interesting. I think that they have had stronger rosters in the past however. I still think their chances are good however.

War Canada!

 

[panoo]

Pat Quinn eager to get behind a hockey bench and he'll do it in Switzerland

Canadian Press
Dec 20, 2006, 5:44 PM EST

(CP) - Pat Quinn is looking forward to spending Christmas in the Swiss Alps.

The 63-year-old hockey coach flies to Europe on Thursday to coach Canada's team in the annual Spengler Cup tournament, and by the time the first game rolls around on Tuesday and the players, wives, children, team officials and support staff check in, there'll be 130 Canadians in a Davos hotel.

It'll be a festive time and, as surely as there'll be yodellers in the mountains, cuckoos in the clocks and holes in the cheese, Quinn will have one thing on his mind.

"I'm going there to win," he says.

The only one of the minor-league pros who'll represent Canada that Quinn has previously coached is Jay Harrison, who got into eight NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs when Quinn was their coach and who now plays for the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

Quinn also knows Josh Holden, the forward he drafted when he was general manager in Vancouver and who now plays in West Germany, and Jason Strudwick, the defenceman he acquired for the Canucks in a trade and who now plays in Switzerland.

Quinn coached in the NHL against many of the others including Jason Doig, Shawn Heins, Dominic Pittis, Serge Aubin, Chris Herperger, Stacy Roest, Jamie Wright, Tyler Wright and Krys Kolanos.

His Davos assistants will be Sean Simpson and Jim Koleff, Canadians coaching in Europe.

"They're watching the players so they have a good idea of who's playing with whom and who can play with whom," Quinn said during an interview. " I'll be relying on those two guys quite a bit."

Former NHL coach Pierre Page will be coaching Eisbaren Berlin.

Mora IK of Sweden, HC Davos and Khimik of Russia also are entered. Canada's opener is Boxing Day against Mora (TV, 2:15 p.m. ET). All of Canada's games will be broadcast.

This is Quinn's first coaching assignment since being fired by Toronto last April. His winning percentage as an NHL coach is 69 per cent, which is surpassed only by Scotty Bowman. He's eager to lace up the skates and get onto the ice again.

Having coached Canada's last two Olympic teams, Quinn knows all about taking over a hastily assembled group. His first piece of advice to the players will be to concentrate on hockey fundamentals and keep things simple.

"My feeling has always been to give players freedom when they have the puck so their offensive skills can come to the fore," he explains. "Hopefully we have enough guys who can play that way.

"Then we'll adopt some semblance of team play. The time frame is so short so you hope it comes quickly."

If enough players get in, he'll have a practice Sunday. There's definitely a practice on Christmas Day, and Quinn knows exactly what will happen when the uniforms are distributed.

"I like the way Canadian boys have been willing - even the stars - to submit to a team orientation rather than take an individual approach," he says. "No matter what level the player is at, when he puts on that Canadian sweater, that focuses everybody on what you're there for.

"The feeling about playing for Canada is not matched anywhere. The only thing that can match it is winning for Canada. We want to have some fun but we'll be there to win."

A power-play unit will be thrown together and penalty killers will be briefed because European referees treat whistles like lollipops.

"Apparently, they're calling everything over there now so we'll have to be prepared to spend a lot of time on special teams," says Quinn.

The ice surface will be much wider than in NHL arenas.

"We'll be a team that protects the middle defensively and tries to use the outside with our speed, and we do have a speedy team up front," he says. "We'll move the puck up to the forwards to use the outside room to create the kind of attack that Canadians are famous for - once you hit their blue-line, you're heading for the net. That'll be our attack style."

Quinn was happy for Gary Roberts when the winger he used to coach scored two goals as the Florida Panthers beat the Leafs 7-3 Tuesday. He was happy, too, to see his former goalie, Ed Belfour, get the win. He also expressed empathy for the Leafs.

FULL STORY

 

[panoo]

Pair added to Spengler Cup roster

TSN.ca Staff
12/24/2006 5:01:12 PM

Hockey Canada has announced a change to the Spengler Cup roster. Forwards Dale McTavish and Serge Aubin are injured and won't be able to play and they have been replaced by forwards Tim Brent and Mirko Murovic.

''It's unfortunate that Dale and Serge won't be able to play in the Spengler Cup, which is a tournament all of our players are looking forward to,'' said Johnny Misley, Hockey Canada's executive vice president. ''But we're also happy that Tim and Mirko could join the team on such short notice.''

FULL STORY

 

[Amanda]

Watching it right now on Sportsnet.

I really do not like those giant ads on the ice or the ads all over the jerseys makes everything look really busy.

 

[oilers]

Canada won the first game in SO

 

[panoo]

Former NHLer Stacy Roest named Canadian captain for Spengler Cup

Former NHLer Stacy Roest named Canadian captain for Spengler Cup
Canadian Press
Dec 26, 2006, 11:37 AM EST

DAVOS, Switzerland (CP) - Former NHLer Stacy Roest was named captain of Canada's entry at the Spengler Cup on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old from Lethbridge, Alta., plays for the Swiss team Rapperswil-Jona and will lead Canada as it seeks to win the tournament for the first time since 2003.

FULL STORY

 

[panoo]

Stacy Roest scores in regulation and shootout as Canada beats Mora 4-3

Stacy Roest scores in regulation and shootout as Canada beats Mora 4-3
Canadian Press
Dec 26, 2006, 7:34 PM EST

DAVOS, Switzerland (CP) - Stacy Roest of Lethbridge, Alta., scored in the shootout and in regulation to lead Canada to a 4-3 win over Swedish club Mora on the opening day of Spengler Cup action Tuesday.

Brandon Reid of Kirkland, Que., and Chris Herperger of Esterhazy, Sask., also scored for Canada.

FULL STORY

 

[panoo]

Canada goes 2-0 at Spengler Cup

December 27, 2006

DAVOS, Switzerland (CP) -- The Canadian team got an early scare at the Spengler Cup.

HC Davos grabbed a quick 2-0 lead before a raucous home crowd Wednesday before Canada roared back for a 6-3 victory.

Jamie Wright of Kitchener, Ont., led Canada with two goals and thinks it was key that the team didn't panic after falling behind early in the game.

"We started out of the gates a bit slow, we were a bit sloppy," said Wright. "But the guys were positive and we just got back to simple hockey.

"We still had 50 minutes to battle back. None of the guys got down about it and everybody got pulling in the same direction."

Stacy Roest of Lethbridge, Alta., Kirby Law of McCreary, Man., Chris Herperger of Esterhazy, Sask., and Calgary's Krys Kolanos also had goals for Canada (2-0).

Justin Pogge of Penticton, B.C., got the win in goal.

Robin Leblanc and Nick Naumenko gave Davos (0-1) the quick early lead before it allowed five unanswered goals. Josef Marha also scored a goal for the home side.

Every game in this event is important. The top two teams at the end of the round robin play one game for the championship.

"You don't want to find yourself losing one of the first two games," said Wright, who played for Canada at the 2001 Spengler Cup. "If you win the first two games it puts the pressure on other teams.

"Being such a fast tournament, it's imperative that you take care of yourself."

Canada will have the day off Thursday before playing the Russian team Khimik on Friday.

Wright got things going for Canada when he scored a minute after Davos took the 2-0 lead and Roest tied it before the end of the first.

FULL STORY

 

[panoo]

Spengler: Russia blanks Canada 5-0

TSN.ca Staff
12/29/2006 1:18:29 PM

Canada suffered its first loss at the Spengler Cup tournament in Switzerland on Friday, dropping a 5-0 decision to Russian club team HK Khimik.

Russian netminder Konstantin Barulin turned aside 41 shots to give Khimik it's first win of the tournament after being outscored 9-1 by their opponents in two previous losses.

It's the second time in as many years that Canada has been humbled by a Russian club team at the Spengler Cup, losing 8-3 in last year's gold medal final against Metallurg Magnitogorsk.

The Russian's scored all five of their goals on just 14 shots.

Canadian netminder Justin Pogge, who sports a perfect 8-0 record for Canada through last year's World Junior championship and this year's Spengler Cup, was given the day off by head coach Pat Quinn. Devan Dubnyk and Adam Munro shared the goaltending duties for Canada on Friday.

FULL STORY

 

[Rids]

Dubnyk laid an egg over there today. It is tough though to take an assembly of international/minor leaguers and make a team with no training camp ready for a tournament. Plus playing against club teams that have been together since August and know their system, players, lines.

 

[panoo]

Canada advances to Spengler Cup Final

Canadian Press
12/30/2006 12:10:25 PM

DAVOS, Switzerland (CP) - Canada clinched a berth in the Spengler Cup final with a 5-2 victory over EHC Eisbaren Berlin on Saturday.

The Canadian team, made up of European-based pros and AHL players, needed a victory in its round-robin finale to qualify for Sunday's championship game.

Head coach Pat Quinn said his team rebounded well after a 5-0 loss to Russian club Khimik on Friday.

"To watch how they bounced back and came today to play was really satisfying," Quinn said. "Obviously all it does is get us in the door. We're playing in the championship game now and we've got less than 24 hours to make our mental switches."

Tim Brent, Domenic Pittis, Jay Harrison, Krys Kolanos and Stacy Roest scored for Canada. Thierry Paterlini scored both goals for Berlin.

FULL STORY

 

[panoo]

Canada to face Davos in Spengler final

December 30, 2006

DAVOS, Switzerland (CP) -- Pat Quinn has learned something about his Canadian team at the Spengler Cup.

Facing a must-win game, Canada overcame the ejection of starting goalie Justin Pogge to beat EHC Eisbaren Berlin 5-2 on Saturday and earn a spot in the tournament final.

The performance impressed the veteran Quinn, especially because it came less than 24 hours after Canada suffered a 5-0 loss to the Russian team Khimik.

"Our guys bounced back really well," he said. "It shows me some resilience and a real mental toughness that you have to have to win championships.

"You don't always know if you've got it or not and certainly when you have a game like yesterday you start to wonder. But to watch how they bounced back was really satisfying."

Canada will play host HC Davos in the final on Sunday.

The Canadians beat the Swiss team 6-3 earlier this week in the round robin, but Quinn said that game was much closer than the score suggests.

He expects a wild atmosphere at Eisstadion Davos during the final.

"It's the game everybody looks for every year," he said. "That's the main attraction."

Canada had to fight through some adversity to make it happen. They were playing a controlled game Saturday until Berlin forward Kelly Fairchild bumped Pogge in his crease and sparked a skirmish seven minutes into the second period.

Fairchild and Pogge were both ejected.

"I've never seen anything like it," said Quinn. "It was a terrible call -- to throw a goaltender out, nobody's ever seen that before.

"But our guys collected themselves very well. In a very emotional situation, these young boys handled themselves terrifically."

Devan Dubnyk, who plays for the ECHL's Stockton Thunder, replaced Pogge and helped secure the victory.

Tim Brent, Domenic Pittis, Jay Harrison, Krys Kolanos and captain Stacy Roest scored for Canada (3-1). Roest was also named the team's top player during the round robin.

Thierry Paterlini had both goals for Berlin (1-3). .

Canada took control of the game right from the opening whistle.

Brent and Pittis scored goals 19 seconds apart midway through the first period to build a 2-0 lead for a Canadian team that wasn't giving up many chances.

"We gave up three shots in the first period and two of them were in the last minute from long range," said Quinn. "It was night and day (from the game against Khimik).

"Our forwards weren't good yesterday against the Russians but they were awesome today."

The second period was penalty-filled and disrupted the flow of the game, particularly when Pogge was ejected.

But Dubnyk stepped in and closed the door. The 20-year-old, who won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2006 world junior tournament, was a calming influence.

"He played like a wall," said forward Jamie Wright. "He looked unfazed. He came in, held his ground and stood on his head."

It left Quinn and his coaching staff with a decision to make. Who gets the start in goal for the final?

The game is on at 1:00 pm et/Sportnet East, Sportsnet Ontario and Sportsnet West, on Sportsnet Pacific, it's on at 3:30 pm et

FULL STORY

 

[panoo]

Canada loses to Davos in Spengler final

Canadian Press
12/31/2006 10:20:08 AM

DAVOS, Switzerland (CP) - The championship game of the Spengler Cup came down to one final break and Canada didn't get it.

Andres Ambuhl scored the winning goal in the third period Sunday after Canadian goaltender Justin Pogge misplayed the puck to give HC Davos a 3-2 victory.

"It was an unfortunate goal to win it but sometimes that happens," said Canadian forward Tyler Wright. "Pogs went out to play the puck the way he's probably done a thousand times. For some unknown reason, it gets misplayed.

"You hate to lose like that, but it's a game of breaks and mistakes. They got a lucky one."

It's the second straight year Canada has lost in the final of the five-team tournament. Metallurg Magnitogorsk beat them 8-3 in the championship game last year.

Mario Scalzo and Jason Doig had staked the Canadians out to an early 2-0 lead Sunday in front of another noisy sellout crowd at Eisstadion Davos.

But the Canadians were too "cautious," according to coach Pat Quinn, and saw the home team chip away at that first-period lead.

"They looked dead in the water early on and if we'd been able to get the third goal it would have been a smoke out," said Quinn. "But we didn't get it."

Robin Leblanc, Eero Somervuori and Ambuhl scored for Davos, which won its home tournament for the fourth time since 2000.

Canada led 2-1 heading into the third period before Somervuori tied it on a power play just over three minutes in. Six minutes after that, Ambuhl scored the eventual winner.

Despite the disappointing result, Quinn left his first Spengler Cup feeling extremely proud of the Canadian team, which was made up of AHL players and European-based professionals.

"There's no explaining the disappointment that everybody feels," he said. "These kids really worked well and came together as a group from all over the place.

"Typical of Canadian guys, they worked hard and they were honest in their performance. At the end of the day, I'm very proud of how they performed."

Canada has won the Spengler Cup 10 times since it started participating in the annual tournament in 1984.

However, it's struggled to find that same success in recent years. The last time a Canadian team won the event was in 2003.

Captain Stacy Roest, who has been a member of the past four Spengler squads, chalks it up to how short the tournament is.

"It's five games in six nights," he said. "It's a grinding, gruelling tournament but it's a lot of fun. We just came up a little bit short again."

Canada faced more than its share of adversity during this event.

It went down early in round-robin games against Mora IK and Davos before rallying for victories. After a 5-0 loss to Russian team Khimik, the Canadians overcame the questionable ejection of Pogge to beat Berlin on Saturday and earn a spot in the final.

The players did everything Quinn expected of them.

FULL STORY