Zach O'Brien celebrates his first goal of the game for Cardiff Devils against GKS Katowice at the 2025 IIHF Continental Cup Final.
photo: Rebecca Brain
Tournament host Cardiff Devils made a winning start to the 2025 IIHF Continental Cup Final, overpowering GKS Katowice with a strong second-period display. It finished 6-2 to the Welsh club, with Zach O'Brien posting a three-point game.
Despite falling behind at the start of the middle frame, the Devils hit back with five goals to take control of the game. Despite a consolation goal on the power play midway through the third period, a shortbenched GKS team could not find a way back into the game.
"It was a great game for us," said O'Brien. "They got that lead but we didn't panic. We stuck to the gameplan and got five unanswered.
"All five lines were going, the crowd was great and I can't wait for Sunday."
GKS returned to Cardiff looking to improve on its fourth-placed finish in last year’s final. However, the Polish team was hampered by visa issues that prevented four players – Travis Verveda, Brandon Magee, Dante Salituro and Stephen Anderson – from travelling to the UK. As a result, Katowice iced three lines in the opening game.
Backed by a vocal home crowd in the Vindico Arena, Cardiff made a fast start. Cole Sanford and Josh MacDonald were a consistent threat on the first line and they produced the neatest combination of a goalless first period when MacDonald threaded a pass through the GKS defence to set up Sanford. Polish international goalie John Murray pulled off the save and held on as MacDonald threatened from the rebound.
Murray was alert again as local youngster Bayley Harewood got a strong redirect on another MacDonald feed after 15 minutes. The visiting goalie finished the opening frame with 18 saves, while his team was limited to counterattacking opportunities for most of the action. The Poles’ best opening came late in the session when Grzegorz Pasiut got clear of the Cardiff defence, only to be denied by a Josh Batch foul.
That foul had consequences. The penalty spanned both sides of the intermission, and just as Batch left the box, GKS opened the scoring when Jean Dupay snaffled up Patryk Wronka’s pass to the slot.
Stung, Cardiff redoubled its attacking efforts – and finally found a way past Murray. On 24 minutes the Devils tied the game after a misplaced clearance went straight to Joey Martin in centre ice. His shot was saved, but MacDonald was first to the rebound. And another defensive lapse helped Cardiff get in front midway through the game. Sam Duggan harried and hustled behind the net, stealing the puck and setting up Reid Duke.
Once in front, Cardiff quickly padded its lead. GB international Brett Perlini rifled home to wrap up a neat combination on the power play, then Mark Richardson threaded the eye of the needle with a superb pass for O’Brien to steer home the fourth.
A great session for the home team finished with Sanford adding a fifth in the 38th minute after Gleason Fournier’s point shot bounced dangerously in front of Murray’s net.
At last year's tournament, the vocal support from the GKS fans - some of whom came from Katowice for the occasion, others represented the large Polish community in Britain - was one of the highlights. The yellow wall was in evidence again behind one net, and it had something to cheer in the third period. First, Bartosz Fraszko got a goal back on the power play. Then, in the 56th minute, the dangerous Fraszko-Wronka axis found the net again.
"We took our foot of the gas a couple of times in the third period," admitted goaltender Mac Carruth. "Our PK wasn't great, but credit to them. They gave us a look we haven't seen this year."
However, there was never much danger of a fightback. In between those GKS goals, O'Brien, potted his second of the night on the power play after 53 minutes to keep Cardiff on top.
With Arlan Kokshetau's withdrawal leaving just three teams in the competition, Cardiff knows it can win the cup with victory over Brouleurs de Loups in Sunday's final game. Before that, the French team faces GKS on Saturday, with Katowice knowing only a win in regulation would give it any chance of lifting the trophy.
Despite falling behind at the start of the middle frame, the Devils hit back with five goals to take control of the game. Despite a consolation goal on the power play midway through the third period, a shortbenched GKS team could not find a way back into the game.
"It was a great game for us," said O'Brien. "They got that lead but we didn't panic. We stuck to the gameplan and got five unanswered.
"All five lines were going, the crowd was great and I can't wait for Sunday."
GKS returned to Cardiff looking to improve on its fourth-placed finish in last year’s final. However, the Polish team was hampered by visa issues that prevented four players – Travis Verveda, Brandon Magee, Dante Salituro and Stephen Anderson – from travelling to the UK. As a result, Katowice iced three lines in the opening game.
Backed by a vocal home crowd in the Vindico Arena, Cardiff made a fast start. Cole Sanford and Josh MacDonald were a consistent threat on the first line and they produced the neatest combination of a goalless first period when MacDonald threaded a pass through the GKS defence to set up Sanford. Polish international goalie John Murray pulled off the save and held on as MacDonald threatened from the rebound.
Murray was alert again as local youngster Bayley Harewood got a strong redirect on another MacDonald feed after 15 minutes. The visiting goalie finished the opening frame with 18 saves, while his team was limited to counterattacking opportunities for most of the action. The Poles’ best opening came late in the session when Grzegorz Pasiut got clear of the Cardiff defence, only to be denied by a Josh Batch foul.
That foul had consequences. The penalty spanned both sides of the intermission, and just as Batch left the box, GKS opened the scoring when Jean Dupay snaffled up Patryk Wronka’s pass to the slot.
Stung, Cardiff redoubled its attacking efforts – and finally found a way past Murray. On 24 minutes the Devils tied the game after a misplaced clearance went straight to Joey Martin in centre ice. His shot was saved, but MacDonald was first to the rebound. And another defensive lapse helped Cardiff get in front midway through the game. Sam Duggan harried and hustled behind the net, stealing the puck and setting up Reid Duke.
Once in front, Cardiff quickly padded its lead. GB international Brett Perlini rifled home to wrap up a neat combination on the power play, then Mark Richardson threaded the eye of the needle with a superb pass for O’Brien to steer home the fourth.
A great session for the home team finished with Sanford adding a fifth in the 38th minute after Gleason Fournier’s point shot bounced dangerously in front of Murray’s net.
At last year's tournament, the vocal support from the GKS fans - some of whom came from Katowice for the occasion, others represented the large Polish community in Britain - was one of the highlights. The yellow wall was in evidence again behind one net, and it had something to cheer in the third period. First, Bartosz Fraszko got a goal back on the power play. Then, in the 56th minute, the dangerous Fraszko-Wronka axis found the net again.
"We took our foot of the gas a couple of times in the third period," admitted goaltender Mac Carruth. "Our PK wasn't great, but credit to them. They gave us a look we haven't seen this year."
However, there was never much danger of a fightback. In between those GKS goals, O'Brien, potted his second of the night on the power play after 53 minutes to keep Cardiff on top.
With Arlan Kokshetau's withdrawal leaving just three teams in the competition, Cardiff knows it can win the cup with victory over Brouleurs de Loups in Sunday's final game. Before that, the French team faces GKS on Saturday, with Katowice knowing only a win in regulation would give it any chance of lifting the trophy.