The 97th Spengler Cup, an annual tradition in Davos, Switzerland, continued saturday with a quarterfinal victory for the NCAA team over Sparta Praha, 5-3. This tournament uniquely showcases a team of North American college hockey all-stars competing against established European club teams. The win advances the NCAA squad to the tournament’s semifinals, continuing a tradition of providing valuable international experience for rising collegiate players. The quarterfinals began December 29th and will culminate in a championship game on January 1st.
An NCAA team advanced to the semifinals of the 97th Spengler Cup on Saturday, defeating Sparta Praha of the Czech Republic 5-3 in a thrilling quarterfinal matchup. The tournament, a prestigious annual ice hockey competition held in Davos, Switzerland, pits club teams against a squad of North American college all-stars.
Aiden Fink led the NCAA team with a goal and an assist, while Charlie Serato and Erik Polkamp also found the back of the net. The NCAA squad built a 2-1 lead in the first period and extended it throughout the game, ultimately securing the victory.
For Sparta Praha, Filip Člapík scored twice, and Mikals Vitūcs added a goal. Despite the loss, Člapík’s two goals showcased his offensive prowess.
Latvian forward Dzierkals played 16 minutes and 42 seconds for Sparta Praha, earning a two-minute penalty early in the first period that led to a goal for their opponents. He registered an assist on one of Sparta’s goals but finished with a -1 plus/minus rating.
Meanwhile, Laviņš saw 8 minutes and 44 seconds of ice time for the winning NCAA team, but didn’t register any points in the box score.
97. Špenglera kausa izcīņas izslēgšanas posms
| Datums | Laiks | Spēle | Rezultāts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pusfināla kvalifikācija | |||
| 29.12. | 16.10 | Sparta Praha (Čehija) – Kanāda | 5:1 (0:0; 0:0; 5:1) |
| 21.15 | Davos (Šveice) – IFK Helsinki (Somija) | 3:0 (1:0; 1:0; 1:0) | |
| Pusfināls | |||
| 30.12. | 16.10 | NCAA komanda (ASV) – Sparta Praha | 5:3 (2:1; 2:1; 1:1) |
| 21.15 | Fribourg-Gottéron (Šveice) – Davos |
