Oleg Tymchenko’s team claimed a home victory following the international break.
Kyiv Capitals (Ukraine) – HS Riga (Latvia) – 4:2 (2:0; 1:1; 1:1)
Goals: 1:0 – Valkun (Karsums, Bajaruns), 01:18; 2:0 – Hu (Augstkalns, Novikovs, – power play), 10:41; 3:0 – Zelts (Karsums, Jansons, – power play), 29:22; 3:1 – Mihailovs (Muiznieks, Obuks), 37:03; 3:2 – Polis (Rots, Obuks, – power play), 54:04; 4:2 – Karsums (Tsarkovskyi, Bajaruns, – empty net).
Kyiv Capitals: Maksym Duve; Maksims Sirokovs – Edmunds Augstkalns, Yang Hu – Andrii Kryvonozhkin – Denys Plesovskykh; Vitalii Andreykiv – Eduards Hugo Jansons, Oleksandr Valkun – Martins Karsums (c) – Lauris Bajaruns; Andrejs Kostjuks – Ivan Shamardin, Denys Honcharenko – Danylo Tsarkovskyi – Renars Cipruss; Valentyn Sirchenko – Oleksii Melnykov, Marat Saroka – Aleksandrs Novikovs – Kristians Zelts.
Head Coach: Oleg Tymchenko
HS Riga: Kristers Plepis; Markus Ansons – Herberts Laugalis, Kristers Obuks (c) – Roberts Janis Polis – Gustavs Spigulis; Markuss Saviels – Tomas Erdmanis Hermanis, Stefans Rots – Davids Danilovs – Karlis Nauris Ceslis; Daniils Danovskis – Elmars Muiznieks, Karlis Tamenieks – Maks Mihailovs – Lenards Janis Sprieslis; Kristaps Kandis – Aleksejs Danovskis, Felikss Niks Paurs – Ernests Valbahs – Matvejs Bakalovs.
Head Coach: Juris Ozols
For this match, Oleg Tymchenko made several rotations across nearly all lines. Valkuns replaced Begovs and joined the experienced Karsums-Bajaruns line, which became the team’s second link. Duve started in goal, while Saroka returned to the lineup after a long absence, replacing Fursa.
The start of the game was simply fantastic for the hosts. The experienced Bajaruns and Karsums combined to set up young Valkun, who netted his second goal of the championship.
Before the first break, Kyiv also managed to convert its first power play opportunity. Novikovs won the faceoff, and Hu redirected Augstkalns’ shot past Plepis, doubling the lead.
In the second period, the Capitals had to defend 3×5 for almost a minute, but stood firm. Shortly after, Zelts extended the team’s lead, scoring another power play goal. Karsums and Zelts did most of the work, with Kristians finishing into an open net.
However, before the end of the period, the visitors reduced the deficit – Mihailovs redirected Muiznieks’ blue-line shot into the goal.
Juris Ozols’ men brought the tension to a maximum, capitalizing on their own power play through Polis, making it 3:2.
With 1:21 left on the clock, the visitors pulled Plepis for an extra attacker, but Tymchenko’s side took advantage – Karsums buried the puck into the empty net, sealing a hard-fought victory over the league’s eighth-placed team.
After 15 matches, our team has accumulated 26 points and currently sits in second place in the standings. On November 19, the Capitals will continue their campaign with an away match against Zemgale/LBTU.
