British Columbia Hockey League grads David Leneveu, Wade Dubielewicz and Travis Roche fell just short of the opportunity to play for gold at the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday as Team Canada dropped a 4-3 decision to Belarussian side Dynamo Minsk.
“That's really the only disappointing thing is the outcome today,” Canadian coach Craig MacTavish said. “I couldn't have been happier with the way that we played. We did what we needed to do, and dominated the game I thought for pretty much the whole game.
“Just one of those nights, we couldn't find the back of the net with the puck.”
Roche and Dubielewicz each contributed in the losing cause. Roche, the former Trail Smoke Eaters defenceman, set up Kurtis McLean for Canada's opening goal midway through the first period. Dubielewicz, meanwhile, stopped 20 shots in net.
The Canadians made the final of last year's tournament but lost 5-3 to Moscow Dynamo. The loss ends a streak of four straight final appearances for Canada, making the outcome all the more disappointing for MacTavish.
“Tonight we played a pretty tough team and we dominated the game,” said the coach. “The goal that really hurt us was the goal in the third period to make it 4-2, when it was just a high deflection, it hit him in the shaft … I still thought we were fine being down two goals but at the end, we weren't able to do it.
“We didn't win it but I'm pretty sure we've got the best team in the tournament,” he added.
Canada's last Spengler victory was in 2007.
With the tournament having ended for Canada, the squad's three BCHL alumni now return to their club teams. Both Roche (Bern, Austria) and LeNeveu (Salzburg, Austria) play professionally in Europe while Dubielewicz suits up for the American Hockey League's Houston Aeros.
