Thursday, December 26, 2013

Former Vernon Viper & Lakers MacMurchy & Metropolit Join Canada At Spengler Cup:

This is posted on the BCHL website:

Spengler Cup roster includes four BCHL alums

Monday, December 23, 2013 - Submitted by BCHL Media

The 86th Spengler Cup, the oldest invitational hockey tournament in the worlds, starts Dec. 26 in Davos, Switzerland and four BCHL alumni have been named to Canada's entry into the event.

Travis Roche, who played for the Trail Smoke Eaters from 1996 to 1998 before going to the University of North Dakota, is one of two BCHL alums on the blueline. He scored 28 goals and 71 assists in 87 career games with the Smokies. He won the Interior Conference Top Defenceman Trophy in 1998 and currently plays for Bern of the Swiss National League A (NLA).

Joining Roche on Canada's blueline is his Bern teammate Geof Kinrade, who played for the Cowichan Valley Capitals from 2003 to 2005. He scored 15 goals and 24 assists in 108 career games for the Caps before going on to Michigan Tech University.

Former Vernon Vipers forward Ryan MacMurchy, currently with Biel of the NLA is among the forward group. He had four goals and 16 assists in his first season of Junior A hockey with Vernon in 2000-01 before going on to Notre Dame of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and then the University of Wisconsin.

Another former Vernon Laker, Glen Metropolit, is the other BCHL alum on Team Canada. Metropolit scored 43 goals and 74 assists in 60 games in his lone BCHL season in 1994-95 before turning pro. He went on to play 407 NHL games with Washington, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, St. Louis, Boston, Philadelphia and Montreal. He currently plays for Lugano of the NLA. This will be his fourth Spengler Cup.

In addition to the players, BCHL alums Brad Pascall (VP hockey ops), Brad Treliving (Management Team) are on the team's staff for the tournament.

The Spengler Cup began in 1923 and is today a six-team event. The host club, HC Davos, has won it a record 15 times and all games are hosted at their home rink, Valliant Arena.

Team Canada are the defending champions, winning last year with a lineup full of NHL stars owing to the NHL lockout.

No comments: