CANADA FINISHES 2ND AT 2008 SPENGLER CUP

DAVOS, Switzerland – It was close, but in the end Canada came up just short at the 2008 Spengler Cup.

Randy Robitaille’s goal pulled Canada’s National Men’s Team to within a goal midway through the third period of Wednesday’s championship game, but Russian side Moscow Dynamo lifted the cup after claiming a 5-3 win.

Canada was appearing in the championship game for the eighth time in nine years, but had to settle for second place for the eighth time in 25 trips all-time to the tournament.

After jumping out to an early led on Moscow in Tuesday’s 6-3 round-robin win, Canada found itself in a 3-0 hole midway through Wednesday’s game after two goals from Petr Cajanek and one from Ivan Neprjaev.

But power play goals from Micki Dupont and Hnat Domenichelli before the end of the middle frame sent the Canadians to the dressing room down just one goal through 40 minutes.

Cajanek completed his hat trick in the opening minute of the final period and, after Robitaille had again made it a one-goal game, Maxim Pestushko clinched the cup for the Russians with a late breakaway marker against Canadian netminder Daren Machesney.

Canada swarmed the Moscow net in the dying minutes, but could not come up with the goals it needed for what would have been its 12th Spengler Cup championship.

Despite outshooting Moscow 41-29 – including 30-13 over the game’s final 40 minutes – Canada lost to a Russian club in the final for the second time in four years. Metallurg Magnitogorsk claimed the 2005 title with a win over the Canadians.

Goals/Buts :
09:16 DM Cajanek (Weinhandl) SH

Penalties/Pénalités :
02:52 CAN Fata (Delay of Game/Arrêter le match)
08:35 DM Shitikov(Cross-checking/Double-échec)
15:51 DM Rahunek (Penalty Shot/Tir de punition)
17:08 CAN Roest (Elbowing/Donner du coude)

Goals/Buts :
08:24 DM Cajanek (Weinhandl, Landry)
08:59 DM Neprjaev (Afanasenkov, Yyshidkevitch) PP
19:18 CAN Dupont (Robitaille) PP
19:36 CAN Domenichelli (Robitaille) PP

Penalties/Pénalités :
00:49 DM Landry (Hooking/Accrocher)
08:34 CAN Isbister (Cross-checking/Double-échec)
10:29 CAN Team/Équipe (Too Many Men/Trop de joueurs)
12:53 DM Neprjaev (Tripping/Trébucher)
16:21 DM Goroshansky (Slashing/Cingler)
18:08 DM Team/Équipe (Too Many Men/Trop de joueurs)
19:04 DM Zhitnik (Cross-checking/Double-échec)

Goals/Buts :
00:42 DM Cajanek (Weinhandl)
09:17 CAN Robitaille (Domenichelli, Vigier)
17:13 DM Pestushko

Penalties/Pénalités :
18:57 CAN Heins (Cross-checking/Double -échec)

V. Yeremeev