Canada's pursuit of a 17th Spengler Cup title fell short this holiday season.
The team included the Burnaby hockey trio of Massimo Rizzo, Tyler Morley and Joey LaLeggia, who contributed four points combined in four games at the annual invitational tournament in Davos, Switzerland.
In the end, Canada finished with a 2-2 record and settled for third place after falling to HC Dynamo Pardubice of Czechia in the semifinal.
The red and white gave up three unanswered goals late in the third period on to the eventual runner-ups, losing 4-3 and effectively ending its Spengler Cup chase.
Rizzo, a current University of Denver Pioneer, tallied two helpers — both in each of Canada's two preliminary matches — to reach a total of 10 points in 19 career international games.
The Burnaby Winter Club alum's résumé includes stints at the World Jr. "A" Hockey Challenge (2019, 2020) and World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (2017).
Rizzo was the Carolina Hurricanes' seventh round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, and is currently an unsigned prospect with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Meanwhile, Morley and LaLeggia each notched an assist in Canada's quarterfinal victory over KalPa (Finland).
This was Morley's first-ever international event with a Hockey Canada sanctioned team.
The former Grandview Steeler is skating in his seventh season in a fifth European professional league. Before joining EHC Kloten in Switzerland as a centre, he played in Finland, Sweden, Germany and Croatia.
LaLeggia donned the maple leaf sweater for the first time in 13 years. The last time was in 2010 and 2011 when the two-way athlete played for Team Canada West at the World Jr. "A" Hockey Challenge.
He won the bronze in 2010 and contributed four assists in five games.
