DAY 2 : Yulaev complete Comeback & Canada thrash hosts

Salavat Bounce back & Canada gain revenge!!! 

DAY 2 Spengler Cup action at the Vallant Arena in Davos,Switzerland.

Produced a barnburner of a game between Salavat Yulaev UFA and the the Czech Republic side of HC Vitkovice Steel.
Salavat Yulaev UFA came into day 2, still smarting from their 5-1 drubbing of the hands of Swiss side, HC Fribourg-Gotteron the day before. And were keen and hoping to make a amends for it the performance and defeat.


Salavat hoping to avoid a second successive loss went 1-0 down after some terrible defensive errors, as a Svacina shot was saved. But followed up on the rebound that came straight out to him and the puck was lost by netminder & defensemen,only for Huna to poach on the loose puck and put Vitkovice Steel ahead in the game at 6:17.
The Czechs doubled their lead bang on 10:00min as Huna again scored to extend the scoreline to 2-0, with assists going to Kucsera and Roman for the Steel goal. The Russians did pull one back at 14:40 as Zinovyev scored to bring it within 1 with Khystov and Filatov getting credited on the goal.

The start of the 2nd , saw Vitkovice regain the 2 goal margain back, as the line consisting of Roman, Svacina and Huna was working wonders as they combined again. With a Svacina diagonal pass behind the net finding Roman who turned and quickly fired home for a 3-1 lead at 21:12.

But again came the Russians as Mirnov capitalised on the netminders failure to grab the puck, as the goaltender was down on the ice from making the initial save. Mirnov got the puck and slipped it under him to made it 3-2 at 23:56.

But in this game it seemed to follow a pattern of, "you score and the opposition will score next". Which was what happened as Svacina scored to make it 4-2 , as Szturc was strong enough to keep hold of the puck after some physical play against him, he was still able to get a shot off and Svacina came in to poke it home and give them the 2 goal cushion back again, goal was timed at 26:43.

Salavat then made it once again a one goal game, as Zinovyev grabbed his 2nd of the game as great work by Khystov who was being pushed off the puck shown his upper body strength as he held them off and made space for himself to shoot, from just outside the right hand faceoff circle. His effort was save but Zinovyev kept the puck moving as he kicked it with is right skate to his left side and slotted it home for 4-3 at 34:09.


The game was all tied up 36 seconds into the 3rd period, as Filatov pulled off a great move with some fancy stick handling to slip the puck through the Goalies 5-hole for a 4-4 game.
No more scoring occured in the rest of the period so went to Overtime, The Russian side did well to come back and it was them who completed remarkable recovery in overtime too.
As a misplaced pass by one of the Vitkovice players saw Kaigorodov gain control of it in his own zone, skated up on the wing in 3 on 1 breakaway, as he passed back to Philstrom who join in the play, his pass across was met back post for Koltsov to score the overtime winner for the KHL team and give them the extra point.


HIGHLIGHTS:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jmY0Pzkf3w

        SALAVAT YULAEV UFA                5 -  4        HC VITKOVICE STEEL  (AFTER OVERTIME)




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The Evening game saw the Hosts HC Davos  take on Team Canada with Canada having 2 reasons to get even in this match. One they had lost the night before to Adler Mannheim 2-1 in overtime so they didn`t want to make it a 2 straight losses. And secondly,they would try to erase the memory of lasts years Spengler cup game v HC Davos as the Canadians were humliated and embarrassed by the hosts in this game last year running out 8-1 victors on that occasion and was hoping to put that right. Also Team Canada gave Devan Dubnyk the starting goaltender spot ahead of 1st choice netminder Bernier.

And Canadians started the game off well and got the first goal. As John Tavares the New York Islanders forward scored on the powerplay as Sam Gagner and Jason Spezza combined leaving it for Tavares to fire a slapshot top corner pass Berra in the Davos goals.

Team Canada then doubled the advantage less than a minute later when Seguin and finally Williams put Ryan Smyth through on the wing and despite the efforts of the Davos D-man trying to block it, Smyth rifled one far corner for a 2-0 lead at 10:01.


2nd period was still all Canada, So a 3rd goal was always likely on the cards. And so it wasn`t a surprise when Kinrade skated up the wing ,patiently passed across for Byron Ritchie to skate in, that he slotted itpast Berra in nets for a comfy 3-0 lead at 25:02 in the game. Team Canada then killed the game off as Travis Roche lay one off for Matt Duchane to try but his effort was saved with Ritchie was on the doorstep to sweep up and make it 4-0 at 32:23.

The 8-1 ghost in Team Canada minds had well and truly been exorcised now, as Canada themselves were now "haunting" the hosts HC Davos. As they had no reply for the attacking power Team Canada had, so with that Jason Williams put the exclaimation mark on this victory as another Duchane shot was failed to be dealt with and Williams was there to put the puck in the net as he drove to the net and got his rewards.


HIGHLIGHTS:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV8zC7SRbSM

      HC . DAVOS                                                       0  -  5                              TEAM CANADA




Here is the standings after DAY 2:

GROUP TORRIANI
Team	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	PTS
HC Vitkovice Steel	1	0	1	0	6	6	4
Fribourg Gotteron	1	0	0	1	6	3	3
Salavat Yulaev UFA	0	1	0	1	6	9	2

GROUP CATTANI
Team	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	PTS
Team Canada	1	0	1	0	6	2	4
Adler Mannheim	0	1	0	0	2	1	2
HC Davos	0	0	0	1	0	5	0