Canada 4 - Germany 6

European Air Canada Cup
Saturday, January 7, 2006
Ravensburg, GER

The final game of this event featured a full house, close to 3000 spectators, two live bands, disco balls on the ceiling and a very loud pro-German crowd and was all about specialty teams. Team Germany, who hadn’t won a game yet in the tournament were completely energized by the crowd support. Every time they crossed centre ice, the crowd cheered. Each shot on net result in a standing ovation. Germany went to the box early, followed a minute later by Canada, making each team’s power play short. Five minutes later the same process repeated itself. Finally on Canada’s third power play, Chouinard wristed a low shot from the high slot, and Marin tucked the rebound away, giving Canada it’s 1st power play at the 11:40 mark and a 1-0 lead.

A few minutes later, with Chouinard in the box for completing a check, Germany responded with a power play goal when Franziska Busch tucked a rebound in that got away from Szabados. It brought the house to their feet and the Germans celebrated their first goal of the tournament. Canada still controlled the puck in the offensive zone, but continued to struggle defensively, giving up a couple of scoring chances. With Germany back in the penalty box for tripping, Canada scored their second power play goal of the game when Riggs walked off the wall to the net after getting the puck from Bonhomme and sliding the puck past Wartosch-Kurten to regain the lead.

The second period stared strong for Canada when the Line of Podloski, Riggs and Jones scored a 2:34 into the period. Podloski, who had joined the first goal club the night before, had her 2nd of the tournament. Canada and Germany traded penalties and Canada’s Riggs missed a breakaway halfway through Canada’ s power play. Around the 16 minute mark, a turnover by a Canadian defender below the goal line resulted in the puck ending up of the stick of Michaela Lanzl, who had lots of time to shoot it past Szabados. The crowd continued to energize the Germany players and seemed to fluster the Canadians, who had only given up two goals in three games until this game. Canada managed to kill off another penalty for holding and the period ended with both teams having scored a goal each.

Canada started the third period off with well with a power play goal by Bowman, her first as a Team Canada member, who corralled a puck from the point and put it over the German netminder, who had gone down to the stop the shot. Canada continued to work hard but started to get frustrated at not capitalizing on any of their chances while Germany got more confident as the period progressed and they were able to contain the Canadians. Canada stopped skating at times and ended up with a series of penalties, which turned out to be costly when Germany’s power play took over. Their first power play goal at 1:38 of the period was a point shot to the top of the net that Szabados didn’t see. A few minutes later, Canada’s Irvine was in the box for hooking when a delayed penalty on Gagnon gave the German’s a 6 on 4 advantage, Germany put another point shot into the top of the net and narrowed the lead to one. Still on the original power play before the delayed penalty, Germany scored their third power play goal of the period and tied the game at four. Canada continued to pressure and create chances but Germany took advantage of the Canada’s attacking the net to transition quickly back on attack, forcing Canada to scramble defensively in their own end of the ice. Finally, with Gagnon back in the box for hooking, Germany scored their fourth power play goal on a rebound after a point shot. They added an empty goal at 19:21 when Canada turned the puck over at the offensive blueline. Canada kept Szabodos out in favour of the extra attacker, and it seemed to have paid off with a goal at 19:50. Unfortunately the officials disallowed it citing a goal crease violation seconds earlier. Germany celebrated beating Canada’s Under 22 team for the first time since the two teams first played in 1998.

Canada was still named Air Canada Champions for the fourth straight year as they finished atop of the round-robin standings due to their earlier victory over Finland, who also went 2-1 for the tournament.

The sellout German crowd staying throughout the closing ceremonies, loudly applauding the Canadians when they were presented with the trophy by two of the Canadian born players who play for the men’s pro team in Ravensburg.

Player of the game for Canada was Ashley Riggs. Susanne Fellner was named Player of the Game for Germany.

Team Canada travels back to Toronto tomorrow, where everyone will head back to their in-season teams. That concludes the Under 22 season for 2005-2006.