Servette edge Canadians, reach the Final

For the first time since 2000 neither HC Davos, the tournament hosts, nor Team Canada will play in the Spengler Cup Gold Medal Game. This year the battle will be between CSKA Moscow and Geneve Servette.

Earlier today CSKA edged HC Davos in a game that didn't leave anyone disappointed, as Alexander Frolov brought home a 5-4 win for the KHL side.

Geneve Servette may not be doing good in the Swiss league, currently lying in 8th place in the standings, but they're doing an excellent job here in Davos. They haven't lost a single game on the road to the Final game and will want to keep the record going tomorrow.

Matthew Lombardi scored a pair and added two assists helping his team win the clash. He openend the scoring early in the first on a solo effort scoring through the five-hole. Denis Hollenstein doubled before the break picking up a bounce off Goran Bezina's shot from the point.

The Canadians looked stunned in that first period and scored a goal late, with a minute to go, but that one was waived off after the officials reviewed it. Glen Metropolit drove to the net and gets to shoot though Tobias Stephan deflects it in the air and over his own shoulder, but manages to get the puck safely into his glove at the line by the post. A near save, and the referees wanted to take a closer look, but couldn't find evidence the puck crossed the line.

Second period was goal after goal, and was a tied one. Servette would score, the Canadians would answer, but the Swiss side always kept the two-goal lead safe. Team Canada were dominant throughout the period, but Servette were amazing on the breaks and thus racked up two goals to the back of the net.

Inti Pestoni and Matthew Lombardi went on a breakaway through the middle, Pestoni gets the puck on the right and returns to Lombardi who tips it in and gets Servette to a 3-goal lead.

The Canadians opted for a goalie change and Matt Hackett, previously playing for Rochester, stood between the pipes. The Canadians score within a minute and a half through Alexandre Giroux who scores on the drop pass from Geoff Kinrade.

Arnaud Jacquement restores the 3-goal lead for Servette and they call the timeout. Strangely enough, it was the Canadians who scored in the aftermath, Byron Ritchie fired from the slot, Travis Roche picks up the rebound and fires into the empty net from the left.

Team Canada were able to pull of a win in the third, outscoring Servette 3:2. Matt Lombardi scored his second one for Servette, Jacob Micflikier answers back at 49:22, but then at 50:07, not even a minute later, Daniel Vukovic restores the lead for Servette.

Team Canada played a great penalty kill in that period creating chances and maybe even playing better than at full strength, at times. Two powerplay goals - from Darren Heydar at 56:40 and Jason Williams at 58:18 with two men up as Hackett was pulled to the bench, gets them very near.

Servette knew they had to hold on for just a couple of minutes, but those two minutes left seemed like a year for the Swiss. Team Canada were on the offense from all sides and points, firing a barrage at Stephan, but in the end could find another break, and Servette are off to the Final with a well-deserved victory.

The Gold Medal Game is scheduled for tomorrow at noon between CSKA Moscow and Geneve Servette.

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