After a first period dominated by Team Canada, HCD came back strong on Wednesday evening. In the end, they did lose 1-2 against the Spengler Cup defending champion. The only goal of the host team was sunk by Thierry Bader.

For the first time under the new HC Davos Head Coach Harijs Witolisch, Anders Lindbäck was the starting goaltender. The Swede was given many opportunities by the Canadians to demonstrate his expertise. In the first 8 minutes, Lindbäck was tested 10 times. By the end of the first period, the dominating guests racked up a shots-on-goal statistic of 15-6. The intermediate result was 1-0 for the Canadians thanks to the efforts of Zack Boychuk, who diverted the puck into the goal with his skate. The Davos players rarely got any offensive opportunities. The only real chance to even the score was missed by Inti Pestoni.

In the second period, Davos was significantly more bold. They regulated the flow of the game and even led the shots-on-goal statistic (13-9). However, the Canadians were first to show their cold-bloodedness. D’Agostini caught Lindbäck at an acute angle to make it 2-0 (24th minute). The HCD goalie did a better job 68 seconds later when he deflected a penalty shot made by Zack Dalpe. The local boys thrilled the 6,300 fans in the sold-out Vaillant Arena with several phases where they exerted extreme pressure, especially during the power plays. Even with a 5-on-3 power play for 45 seconds and several excellent chances, HCD was unable to land the puck in the net. In the last period, the Davos players resolutely sought to equalize the game without exposing their defense to Canadian counterattacks. Fucale became the main focus. The 23-year old, who normally defends the net for the Fort Wayne Komets, almost drove the host team to despair with his defensive maneuvers.

Davos – Team Canada 1-2 (0-1, 1-1, 0-0)

Vaillant Arena, Davos. – 6,300 spectators (sold-out). … REF: Stricker/Watson (SUI/CAN), Castelli/Progin (SUI).

Scoring: 6. Boychuk (Despres, Dalpe) 0-1. 24. D'Agostini (Ebbett) 0-2. 39. Bader 1-2.

Penalties: 6 times 2 minutes against Davos, 4 times 2 minutes against Team Canada.

Davos: Lindbäck; Kparghai, Nygren; Stoop, Du Bois; Buchli, Sanguinetti; Jung, Heldner; Meyer, Lindgren, Ambühl; Marc Wieser, Dino Wieser, Hischier; Egli, Aeschlimann, Pestoni; Klasen, Bader, Simion.

Team Canada: Fucale; Wiercioch, Bieksa; Quincey, Fabbro; Noreau, Despres; Curran; Emmerton, Boychuk, Dalpe; DiDomenico, D'Agostini, Ebbett; Lapierre, Moore, Micflikier; Cracknell, Mitchell, Gagnon, Winnik.

Notes: Davos without Barandun (U20), Sandell (injured), Payr, Rödin, Corvi und Frehner (all healthy scratches). – Timeout Davos (6th minute/Coach's Challenge). – Dalpe failed penalty shot at Lindbäck (26th minute). – goal post shot by Meyer (29th minute).