Canada opens Spengler Cup with victory over Mountfield HK
David McIntyre scores winner while shorthanded in 3rd period
David McIntyre scored the eventual winner while shorthanded in the third period and added an assist as Canada got past Mountfield HK 5-3 on Tuesday in its Spengler Cup opener.
Victor Bartley, Curtis Hamilton, Mason Raymond and P-A Parenteau, into an empty net, also had goals for the Canadians (1-0). Barry Brust made 31 saves for the win in net.
Andris Dzerins, Oskars Cibulskis and Lukas Vopelka found the back of the net for Mountfield (0-1). Patrik Rybar stopped 21 shots in defeat.
Canada is two-time defending champions at the Spengler Cup and are using the tournament as a final evaluation before deciding on its Olympic roster in January.
Vopelka opened the scoring for Mountfield midway through the first.
Canada pulls ahead
Canada tied the game at 1-1 after a shot from Bartley had a weird bounce off the boards and then deflected off Rybar's skate and into the net.
Curtis Hamilton finished off a nice passing play by lifting the puck over Rybar's blocker to put the Canadians in front 2-1 late in the first period.
Mountfield tied it 2-2 with a goal from Cibulskis, but then Mason Raymond put the Canadians back ahead with a shot from the point on the power play at 9:34.
McIntyre scored the winner at 13:05 of the third. Dzerins cut the deficit to one later in the period before Parenteau rounded out the attack.
Canada was 1 for 4 on the power play and Mountfield was scoreless on three opportunities.
The Canadians have a day off on Wednesday before facing host HC Davos in their final preliminary round game on Thursday.