Oleg Tymchenko’s team managed to return to the winning path.
HS Riga (Latvia) – Kyiv Capitals (Ukraine) – 2:7 (1:4; 0:3; 1:0)
Goals: 0:1 – Kryvonozhkin (Hu, Shamardin), 06:24; 1:1 – Biskins (Ansons, – power play), 10:23; 1:2 – Kryvonozhkin (Karsums, Bajaruns, – power play), 15:27; 1:3 – Cipruss (Kostjuks), 16:31; 1:4 – Begovs (Bayaruns, Karsums, – power play), 17:27; 1:5 – Jansons (Cipruss, Bajaruns), 25:42; 1:6 – Valkun, 28:08; 1:7 – Bajaruns (Karsums, Begovs), 28:44; 2:7 – Obuks (Rots, – power play), 51:14.
HS Riga: Jegors Kirpickins (Kristers Plepis, 17:27); Markuss Ansons – Herberts Laugalis, Kristers Obuks (c) – Stefans Rots – Roberts Janis Polis; Aleksejs Danovskis – Tomass Erdmanis Hermanis, Gustavs Spigulis – Davids Danilovs – Karlis Nauris Ceslis; Markus Saviels – Elmars Muiznieks, Karlis Tamenieks – Alexandrs Bishins – Makss Mihailovs; Rendolfs Lusis, Felikss Niks Paurs – Ernests Valbahs – Lenards Janis Sprieslis
Head coach: Juris Ozols
Kyiv Capitals: Nazar Boiko; Vitalii Andreykiv – Eduards Hugo Jansons, Martins Karsums (c) – Lauris Bajaruns – Rustams Begovs; Andrejs Kostjuks – Edmunds Augstkalns, Daniil Fursa – Denys Honcharenko – Danylo Tsarkovskyi; Maksims Sirokovs – Ivan Shamardin, Yang Hu – Andrii Kryvonozhkin – Kristians Zelts; Valentyn Sirchenko – Oleksii Melnykov, Oleksandr Valkun – Renars Cipruss – Alexandrs Novikovs
Head coach: Oleg Tymchenko
For Saturday’s game, Karsums and Sirokovs returned to the lineup after missing the match against Prizma. Meanwhile, Saroka and Plesovskykh were left out of the roster. In addition, head coach Oleg Tymchenko entrusted the goaltending spot to Nazar Boiko.
In the opening minute, the visitors received two penalties, putting themselves in a difficult position, but Riga failed to convert their chances.
Once back at even strength, the Capitals opened the scoring. Kryvonozhkin stole the puck from Lusis and fired a powerful shot into the top corner past Kirpickins.
Juris Ozols’ side managed to respond, converting a power play on their third attempt. Biskins tipped Ansons’ blue-line shot, leaving Boiko with no chance.
Before the end of the first period, the Capitals not only regained the lead but built a comfortable advantage. Karsums delivered a perfect diagonal pass to Kryvonozhkin, who deflected it into the net – his second goal of the game and the team’s first power-play success. Cipruss increased the gap, redirecting Kostjuks’ pass into the goal.
The period ended with another successful power play for the Capitals. Karsums sent a pass across the crease, and this time Kryvonozhkin let the puck go through to Begovs, who finished into an open net. After that goal, Riga’s goaltender Kirpickins was replaced by Plepis.
In the second period, Tymchenko’s team continued to dominate. Jansons scored his fifth goal of the season with a long-range shot.
A highlight of the game was Valkun’s first goal of the season. He stole the puck from Tamenieks and calmly beat Plepis one-on-one.
The Capitals’ first line produced another fine play, finished by Bajaruns, with Karsums recording his third assist of the match, as did Bajaruns himself earlier.
In the third period, the Capitals slightly lowered the tempo, allowing the hosts to score once more on the power play. Obuks took advantage of the scramble in front and pushed the puck over the line. However, this did not spoil the mood of the Capitals, who earned their ninth win of the season.
As of now, Oleg Tymchenko’s team has 20 points and holds first place in the standings. On October 25, they will face Hockey Punks away.
