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Big first period sends Canada to Spengler Cup final

Team Canada heads to finals early Monday morning
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Dante Fabbro (No. 8) picked up two goals in an earlier game at the Spengler Cup, and added an assist in Sunday’s 4-2 semifinal win over the Nürnburg Ice Tigers in Davos, Switzerland. Keystone photo

Former Penticton Vee Dante Fabbro picked up another point at the Spengler Cup this morning, helping Canada’s National Men’s Team to their 11th straight win at the tournament and into the championship game.

Related: Penticton Vees alum scores three goals in Spengler Cup win

Canada took out the Nürnberg Ice Tigers with a 4-2 semifinal win in Davos, Switzerland in a game that started at 6 a.m. PST Dec. 30. The Canadians are just one victory away from a record-tying fourth-consecutive tournament title and will face the winner of the late semifinal between HC Davos and KalPa Kuopio in the final on Monday, starting at 3 a.m. PST.

Dante Fabbro skated with the Penticton Vees for two seasons from 2014-16, including helping them to their 2014-15 BCHL Championship and the Western Canada Cup. Steve Kidd/Western News
Fabbro (Coquitlam, B.C.; Boston University, HE) picked up the assist as Cory Emmerton opened the scoring in the game, knocking in the 1-0 goal at 7:06.

Zach Boychuk (Airdrie, Alta.; SC Bern, NLA) added a second goal at 12:45, getting his stick on a blast from the point by Maxim Noreau (Montreal, Que.; ZSC Lions, NLA) to cap off a dominant first period. The Canadians outshot Nürnberg 14-3 and took a 3-0 lead to the intermission.

Zach Fucale (Rosemère, Que./Fort Wayne, ECHL) made 15 saves to earn his third win in as many starts.

The teams exchanged power-play goals in the second period; Chris DiDomenico (Woodbridge, Ont./SCL Tigers, NLA) caught a break when his pass hit an Ice Tigers stick and eluded goaltender Niklas Treutle early in the middle frame before Daniel Weiss went five-hole on Fucale to get the German side on the board.

Brandon Buck added another for the Ice Tigers with less than five minutes to go, but the Canadians held off the late push to book their spot in final for the 10th time in the last 14 years.

Canada held a one-sided advantage in shots on goal, 33-17.

Related: Penticton Vees alum to play for Team Canada at Spengler Cup