HC Panter sends Kaunas City to Belgrade

HC Panter's victory against the Croatian champions of the KHL Zagreb ensures mathematical first place for Kaunas City, which thus qualifies, for the first time, for the second round of the Continental Cup and will fly to Belgrade in October.

The match was close and indecisive until the end: the Estonians' technique and superior skating got the better of the Croatians, who had managed to take the lead in the first period with Juraj Klobucar and then score the 2-2 with Hrvoje Zovko 

The Panter, without Jaanus Sorokin injured and Rasmus Kiik suspended for the major penalty the day before, however closed the central period with a double advantage signed by Andre Linde and Danil Tsarkovsky.

The fifth goal scored after 32 seconds of the final period seemed to have closed the game, but since then Panter changed the pace, putting much less aggression on the ice and allowing Zagreb to dominate the period, scoring with Hrvoje Zovko and Domen Vedlin, with Canadian goalkeeper Jesse Macay decisive on several occasions to avoid the equalizer. 30 seconds from time Shuma Kinebuchi's goal puts an end to the contest and Zagreb's faint hopes of competing for the final victory

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