The two group stage winners at the 95 th Spengler Cup in Davos will be determined on Thursday. At 3.10pm Dynamo Pardubice will face off against KalPa Kuopio. And at 8.15pm HC Davos will play Team Canada.

In the afternoon game, Dynamo Pardubice holds their fate in their own hands - or sticks – to finish atop their group with a win over KalPa Kuopio. Dynamo forward Robert Kousal, who played for HC Davos from 2016 to 2018, is confident. ‘In our opening game we had some
trouble in the first period. After that we found our rhythm and back to our game’, were hid thoughts after the 3-2 overtime win against Ambri-Piotta on Tuesday. KalPa Kuopio cannot finish first in their group after a 5-3 loss to the Ticinesi. But if the Finns defeat Dynamo Pardubice, Ambri-Piotta will win Group Torriani.

The situation is straightforward in Group Cattini. Both Team Canada and HC Davos have three points following their wins over Frolunda. The winner of today’s head-to-head matchup will subsequently take top spot in the group. The two opponents already met during the group stage last year. HCD had then beaten the Canadians 2-1. The hosts had taken a 2-0 lead only 115 seconds into the game thanks to goals by Andrew Rowe and Bristedt. Today’s two matchups are not only important for the prestige of winning the groups. The first-place teams qualify directly for Saturday’s semifinals. They will get an energy-saving day off o Friday, which is important for the continuation of the tournament. The teams in 2 nd and 3 rd place, however, will determine the other two semi-finalists in their quarterfinal matchups on Friday.

Quelle: Spengler Cup-Online Redaktion   Foto: Keystone