Showdown by Kaunas City
Home team opens the Continental Cup first round showing no mercy for opponent KHL Zagreb
The second match of Continental Cup group B was very similar to the opening one: a large gap between the teams on the ice and a result that immediately appeared obvious: the hosts Kaunas City left KHL Zagreb no chance closing the game already after the first period, which ended at 5-0
With a faster and more aggressive game, Kaunas immediately attacked Zagreb and launched two shots in rapid sequence after 5 minutes: at 05:27 Denys Honcharenko converted an assist from Lukas Zukauskas into a goal and 13 seconds later Michal Machac deflected it brings an invitation from compatriot Ondrej Machala. The home team's third goal, with Zagreb in shock, came with a precise shot from Machala, who found the net with a nice diagonal shot. The Croatians try to react, but are unable to effectively counter their opponents, nor create dangerous goal opportunities. Thus also came Kaunas' fourth goal, scored with a touch a few steps from the goal by Ignas Bakus. The fifth goal, scored again by Honcharenko at 16:04, draws many applause for Kostas Gusevas' perfect pass to put his teammate in front of the goal. The storm continues into the second period, with the sixth goal scored by Danyar Gabdullin after just 30 seconds. Finally Zagreb builds a dangerous chance with Ivo Kaleb who calls on Sergei Pysarenko to make a difficult save. After a long siege by the hosts, the seventh goal arrives, scored by Paulius Grybauskas with a nice personal action at 27:51. Zagreb is in clear confusion: a clumsy backward pass by Jan Novotny gives goal number 8 to Nazar Ruzhnikov and a passing error still allows Grybauskas to beat the innocent Troha.
The last period begins with a change in the Croatian goal with Karlo Bujanic in the net. The back-up resisted constant attacks from the hosts for 9 minutes, before capitulating at 48:54 to Denys Honcharenko's third goal. Before the final siren Zagreb had a couple of opportunities defused without too many problems by the home defence, while Kaunas City found goal number 11 with Czech defender Daniel Klinecky, who beat Bujanic with a precise shot from mid-range