Amazing premiere for Sisak

The opening match of the Continental Cup edition 2022-23, which celebrates its 25th anniversary, opens in Group A, played in Sofia, Bulgaria, with a surprise: the victory of the rookie Croatian champions KHL Sisak against the most experienced Valk Tartu, that in the last edition won the preliminary round in Vilnius. Valk came to Bulgaria with only 3 lines and several young players, but has in the roster many players from national team. Sisak proved not to feel the pressure of the debut despite a certain physical gap with the opponents, controlling the game in the first period and scoring twice: with Lukja Jarcov shorthanded, skillful in facing and beating to beat the Russian goalkeeper, Andrei Bunch-Brujevich. last season at now defunct Olimp Riga.  After two more chances with the same Jarcov and Hrvoje Kriksic, saved by Bunch-Brujevich, the second goal arrives at the 16:40 minute, scored by the Canadian Gabe Schovanek. The best chance of the Estonians is a precise shot by Titarenko, well saved by the American goalkeeper David Anderson
In the middle period Valk starts with more energy by taking control of the game, but without creating great chances. In the 26th minute Aleksejs Popovs receives a major penalty for a violent charge and four minutes later comes the third Croatian goal again with Schovanek, quick to deflect an assist from Sean Ramsay. Before the siren, Sisak scores again with Patrik Dobric after a shot rebounded from the same player.

The last period is played at a slower pace, with the Estonians very nervous and the match becoming very similar to a training session. Sisak still scores 3 goals, while Vasili Titarenko bags the consolation goal for Valk. But on the ice there was another match penalty and a couple of fights before the final siren and Valk's second goal that fixed the result at 7-2. A great performance for Sisak's first ever game in a European competition and the impression that it could be the team that will move forward in the competition

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