HC Davos follows the US Collegiate Selects into the final of the Spengler Cup. Coach Josh Holden's team defeats Fribourg-Gottéron 3:1 and takes revenge for the 2024 semi-final defeat.
30.12.2025, 22:52
30.12.2025, 23:17
SDA
When the two teams played against each other in the semi-final a year ago, the score was 2:1 in Davos' favor after 40 minutes before Fribourg turned the game around and won 4:2. In the final period, the hosts allowed little to happen this time. 9.4 seconds before the end, Simon Ryfors made everything clear with a shot into the empty net to make it 3:1. It was Davos' first win against a Swiss team at the Spengler Cup since the switch to six teams in 2010, having previously lost all four semi-finals.
After a goalless first period, Matej Stransky put the hosts in front in the 22nd minute in overtime. The Czech, the most prolific goal scorer in the National League this season, took advantage of the space he was given in the high slot and gave Fribourg goalie Reto Berra no chance. Gottéron also made it 1:1 on the power play, with Marcus Sörensen benefiting from the fact that HCD defender Lukas Frick deflected the puck into his own goal. Tinu Kessler made it 2:1 for Davos after a face-off in the offensive zone. Kessler had previously missed two good opportunities.
Fribourg dominated play in the first period, which is underlined by the shot ratio of 12:3. However, Davos keeper Luca Hollenstein shone as he did in the 4:1 win against Team Canada. The Grisons improved after the first break, despite playing their fourth game in four days.
This gives Davos the chance to become the sole record winners of the traditional tournament on New Year's Eve - so far they have lifted the trophy 16 times, just like Team Canada. They met the US college team in the preliminary round and lost 3:5, where they were caught off guard by the speed of the talented university players. If they are to get their revenge, HCD will have to be clever, as the short recovery time will make the task even more difficult.
Fribourg-Gottéron - Davos 1:3 (0:0, 1:2, 0:1)
Davos. - 6267 spectators (sold out). - SR Sir/Ruprecht, Axman/Gnemmi. - Goals: 22nd Stransky (Nussbaumer, Andersson/Exclusion Seiler). 31. Sörensen (Kapla, De la Rose/exclusion Barandun) 1:1. 38. Kessler (Stransky, Asplund) 1:2. 60. (59:50) Ryfors (Kessler, Dahlbeck) 1:3 (into the empty net). - Penalties: 4 times 2 minutes each.
Fribourg-Gottéron: Berra; Glauser, Streule; Nemeth, Kapla; Jecker, Seiler; Cajkovsky; Sörensen, De la Rose, Schmid; Bertschy, Borgström, Biasca; Sprunger, Walser, Marchon; Ljunggren, Wallmark, Rau; Gerber.
Davos: Hollenstein; Fora, Gross; Frick, Dahlbeck; Andersson, Jung; Barandun; Stransky, Asplund, Kessler; Frehner, Nussbaumer, Tambellini; Zadina, Ryfors, Lemieux; Knak, Egli, Parrée; Komarov.
