Adler Mannheim players celebrate a goal against Team Canada during the 86th Spengler Cup ice hockey tournament, in Davos, Switzerland, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Salvatore Di Nolfi, Keystone)
December 26, 2012 - 2:18 PM
DAVOS, Switzerland - Jason Pominville scored on a breakaway three minutes into overtime Wednesday as Alder Mannheim shocked Canada 2-1 in the Spengler Cup opener for both teams.
Pominville, a locked out member of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, ripped a low shot past Canadian goalie Jonathan Bernier to give the top team in the German league a surprising victory.
Dennis Endras made 34 saves for Mannheim, including a breakaway stop on Patrice Bergeron moments before Pominville's winner.
Tyler Seguin scored the lone goal for Canada in the third period as the roster loaded with NHL talent had trouble finding its scoring touch.
Canada now faces a must-win game Thursday against tournament host HC Davos.
First played in 1923, the Spengler Cup annually pits Davos and Canada against four European club teams in a six-day tournament that grips fans across Switzerland.
A fast-paced game with numerous chances on both sides, Mannheim opened the scoring on the power play with 4:06 remaining in the first when Adam Mitchell tipped home a point shot past Bernier.
Canada fought back hard but the lineup that includes NHLers Jason Spezza, John Tavares, Sam Gagner, Tyler Seguin, Bergeron and Matt Duchene couldn't find its range against Endras.
The line of Spezza, Tavares and Gagner generated plenty of scoring chances, while the combination of Seguin, Bergeron and Byron Ritchie provided Canada with its only goal.
Bergeron found his Boston Bruins teammate with a cross-ice pass at 9:30 of the third and Seguin wired a shot past Endras on the power play.
Canada carried the play for the rest of regulation but couldn't find a way past the Mannheim goalie before Pominville ended it in the extra period.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012