Cardiff Devils beat the seven-time Polish champions GKS Katowice 6-3 at the Vindico Arena in the first game of the IIHF Continental Cup Final.
Goals from Josh MacDonald, Reid Duke, Brett Perlini, Zach O’Brien and Cole Sanford sealed a runaway victory for the home team.
The Devils were quick to mark their territory with some big hits in a first period that the Elite League leaders dominated in front of goal. Sam Duggan manufactured a chance after stumbling on 10 minutes. It was a combination of Tyler Busch and Joey Martin who came closest a minute later but were denied by a pair of acrobatic saves from the GKS goaltender John Murray.
It took a matter of seconds in the second period for the buzzer to sound and the Polish outfit to take the lead through a close range wristshot into the roof of the net from Canadian Jean Dupuy. The vocal yellow wall of GKS jerseys in the away end were soon silenced though when 4 minutes later Josh MacDonald was quick to pounce on a fumbled shot from Martin. The hosts continued their rapid turnaround with three more goals in a chaotic 5-minute span from Reid Duke, Brett Perlini and Zach O’Brien respectively with O’Brien’s slapshot from the point the pick of the bunch. Cole Sanford added a fifth with one minute remaining in the second period with his shot from the top-right corner of the zone finding its way through a crowd of bodies.
Bartosz Fraszko put some doubt in the Welsh crowd’s minds when he slotted home from the right faceoff circle, but man of the match Zach O’Brien was quick to sure things up three minutes later with his second goal of the night to make it 6-2.
Fraszko completed his night with another consolation goal to add to an earlier assist on a successful night for him. His efforts made for a scoreline that flattered the visitors who looked mostly devoid of any attacking threat.
Cardiff will be watching tomorrow’s clash between tonight’s opponents and France’s Grenoble Bruleurs De Loupe closely in hopes of securing the Continental Cup for the first time after finishing third in their two previous efforts. The Devils will face Bruleurs De Loupe on Sunday at 18:00.