Canada's star-studded lineup cruises to win in Spengler Cup final | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Canada's star-studded lineup cruises to win in Spengler Cup final

The players of Team Canada celebrate with the winner's trophy after Team Canada won the after final match between Team Canada and HC Davos at the 86th Spengler Cup ice hockey tournament, in Davos, Switzerland, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Keystone, Salvatore Di Nolfi)

DAVOS, Switzerland - Team Canada is hoisting the Spengler Cup for the first time since 2007.

Patrice Bergeron had a goal and three assists to lead the star-studded Canadian team to a 7-2 win over host HC Davos today.

Ryan Smyth and John Tavares each added two goals while Devin Dubnyk made 28 saves in the Canadian net.

Locked-out NHLers Joe Thornton, Patrick Kane and Loui Eriksson suited up for Davos, which got goals from Dario Burgler and Raphael Diaz.

The championship run didn't come without adversity. After a 2-1 overtime loss to German team Adler Mannheim to open the tournament, it was unclear whether the newly assembled Canadian team could overcome the lack of familiarity they faced at the start.

Those questions were emphatically put to rest as Canada outscored its opponents 17-3 in its final three games with a roster that featured several star NHLers, including Jason Spezza, Tyler Seguin and Matt Duchene.

On Monday, Bergeron opened the scoring 46 seconds into the first period after tapping in a rebound with one hand while crashing to the ice. Less than three minutes later, he won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Derrick Walser blasted a point shot past Davos goaltender Leonardo Genoni.

Smyth banged in a rebound to give Canada a 3-0 lead just 9:07 into the game after a vigorous short-handed forecheck by Bergeron forced a turnover in front of the Davos net.

Burgler put Davos on the board late in the first period, but Canada came right back with two second-period goals by Smyth and Tavares to regain a commanding lead.

Spezza and Tavares added third-period goals to seal the deal for Canada, while Diaz scored a late goal for HC Davos.

It's the 12th time Canada has won the tournament since they began participating in 1984.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2012
The Canadian Press

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