Continental Cup Group A: day 2 recap

Crvena Zvezda secured their first points in the Continental Cup, defeating the host team, Irbis-Skate Sofia, with a commanding 6-1 victory. After suffering a defeat on the opening day against Liège, the Serbian side responded with a dominant performance, essentially sealing the game by the end of the first period with a 4-0 lead.

Despite missing key players, Crvena Zvezda outclassed the Bulgarian team, who struggled to match their level. Irbis-Skate once again leaned heavily on their goaltending duo of Dimitar Dimitrov and Teodor Asenov, who managed to prevent an even more lopsided scoreline. Nevertheless, the skill gap was evident, as Crvena Zvezda controlled the game with superior tactics and individual performances.

Leading the way for Crvena Zvezda was forward Vuk Kravljanac, who had a standout game, registering two goals and one assist. His efforts, along with a goal and two assists from Marko Dragović, kept the pressure on Irbis-Skate throughout the game. The Bulgarian side’s only consolation came from Miroslav Vasiliev, who scored in the second period to bring the score to 5-1.

Crvena Zvezda could rue their missed opportunity from the previous day's loss, as it prevents them from advancing further in the tournament despite their impressive performance against Sofia. For Irbis-Skate, their defense, especially the performances of goalies Dimitrov and Asenov, remained their strong point, but their overall play was unable to match their more experienced opponents.