UPDATED: Kinrade, KHL Medvescak Zagreb must take long road at Spengler Cup
By The Nelson Daily Sports
KHL Medvescak Zagreb now meets HC Salavat Yulaev Ufa in quarterfinal action at the 2015 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzlerland after dropping a 1-0 decision to the host club Sunday in round robin action.
The winner of the Monday contest advances to the semi final round.
Kinrade, KHL Medvescak Zagreb drop 3-1 decision to Team Canada at Spengler Cup
Team Canada scored twice in the first period to defeat KHL Medvescak Zagreb 3-1 in Spengler Cup action Saturday in Davos, Switzerland.
Nelson Minor Hockey grad Geoff Kinrade plays defence for KHL Medvescak Zagreb.
Bud Holloway, Stefano Giliati and Alexandre Giroux scored to give Team Canada a 3-0 lead after two periods.
Pascal Pelletier scored the lone goal for KHL Medvescak Zagreb.
KHL Medvescak Zagreb plays host HC Davos Sunday in the final round robin game. HC Davos opened the tournament with a 2-1 win over Team Canada.
Kinrade’s squad needs to win to advance to the playoff round in the tournament.
Nelson’s Geoff Kinrade back at Spengler Cup
Nelson Minor Hockey grad Geoff Kinrade is back playing at the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland.
However, the six-foot, 195-pound Nelson Leafs product is not playing on Team Canada this time around.
The smooth skating defenceman is anchoring the blueline for Medvescak Zagreb’s Bears.
Kinrade, 28, signed this fall with Medvescak of the Russian Kontinental Hockey League after three seasons with SC Bern of the Swiss Nationaliga.
This will be Zagreb’s Bears’ first time taking part in this tournament.
First round opponents include Swiss A-leaguers and last year’s Cup winners HC Geneve-Servette and Team Canada, a team comprised heavily of Canadian players who play in Europe.
On the other side of the draw is the KHL’s Salavat Yulaev from Ufa, Finland’s Jokerit Helsinki and home team HC Davos.
For Kinrade, this is the third time playing in the Spengler Cup — the first two for Team Canada.
During his inaugural stint, Kinrade was part of the 2012 Spengler Cup Championship team.
The former Kootenay International Junior Hockey League rearguard with the Nelson Leafs was one of the unsung defenders called upon by Hockey Canada due to a shortage of Canadian defencemen playing in Europe at that time.
The team was bolstered by a huge NHL contingent of Jason Spezza, Patrice Bergeron, John Tavares, Tyler Seguin, Jonathan Bernier, Carlo Colaiacovo, Devan Dubnyk, Sam Gagner, Matt Duchene, Cam Barker and Captain Canada Ryan Smyth. The players were available due to the NHL lockout.
Kinrade has enjoyed an illustrious career playing in Europe after spending two seasons in the American Hockey League with the Ottawa Senators farm team, Binghamton Sens, winning the Calder Cup in 2011.
After graduating from college hockey at Michigan Tech, Kinrade played ten games with the Norfolk Admirals after signing a free agent contract and made his NHL debut on April 9, 2009 for Tampa against the Washington Capitals.
The Spengler Cup is an international hockey tournament with a long tradition since 1923.
Along with the Stanley Cup is the oldest championship in the world.
The Cup is played for every year in Davos, Switzerland, in the time between Christmas and New Year. It is organized by A-leaguers Davos, and 2014 will see its 88th edition.
Only teams that are invited can take part, and six teams fight for the trophy.
Throughout all of the years of the Spengler Cup, which got its name from doctor Carl Spengler, numerous clubs from around the world have taken part, and the most wins go to the home team: Davos-15, followed b y Team Canada-12.
Kinrade’s Zagreb’s Bears play the loser between HC Davos and Team Canada Saturday before meeting the winner Sunday.
The top teams advance to the semi finals Tuesday with the final set New Years Eve.
For more information check out the Spengler Cup website.
