Oleg Tymchenko’s side defeated Hockey Punks for the third time this season.
Kyiv Capitals (Ukraine) – Hockey Punks (Lithuania) – 8:0 (1:0; 3:0; 4:0)
Goals: 1:0 – Novikovs (Melnikov, Zelts), 12:48; 2:0 – Fursa (Sirokovs, Tsarkovskyi), 22:01; 3:0 – Saroka (Fursa), 32:29; 4:0 – Honcharenko (Andreykiv, Tsarkovskyi), 37:08; 5:0 – Kryvonozhkin (Sirokovs, Hu), 41:57; 6:0 – Bajaruns (Begovs, – power play), 48:16; 7:0 – Jansons (Honcharenko), 53:10; 8:0 – Shamardin (Fursa, Tsarkovskyi), 57:47.
Kyiv Capitals: Maksym Duve; Vitalii Andreykiv – Eduards Hugo Jansons, Daniil Fursa – Lauris Bajaruns – Rustams Begovs; Andrejs Kostjuks – Ivan Shamardin, Denys Honcharenko – Danylo Tsarkovskyi – Renars Cipruss; Maksims Sirokovs – Edmunds Augstkalns (c), Yang Hu – Andrii Kryvonozhkin – Kristians Zelts; Valentyn Sirchenko – Oleksii Melnikov, Marat Saroka – Aleksandrs Novikovs.
Head coach: Oleh Tymchenko
Hockey Punks: Simas Baltrunas; Jani Tapani Siekkinen – Herkus Marcinkevicius, Kirill Struk – Dino Mukovoz – Timonas Mazulis; Tomas Krukowski – Kajus Zeynalov, Alex Maunula – Povilas Verenis – Laisvdas Kudrevicius (C)c; Nojus Jonas Kudzevicius – Dominykas Motejunas, Nolan James Regan – Artem Redko – Ilja Zuckovs; Ignotas Ragas – Martynas Shulkas – Illya Mikhalyevich.
Head coach: Dovydas Kulevicius
The hosts were missing Karsums, while Augstkalns wore the captain’s armband. Duve started in goal.
The first period was not easy for Kyiv. Four penalty minutes and disciplined defending from the visitors kept the score unchanged for a long time. However, before the first break, Tymchenko’s team managed to take the lead – Zelts delivered a brilliant pass to the slot, and Novikovs reacted perfectly, sending the puck into the open net.
In the second period, the Capitals gradually increased their advantage. Fursa scored early, finishing a low pass from Sirokovs. Later in the period, Baltrunas had to pick the puck out of his net twice: Saroka netted the team’s third – his third goal since the match against Prizma – and soon after Honcharenko redirected Andreykiv’s pass to make it 4:0.
The scoring pace continued in the third. Once again, an early goal – Baltrunas parried the puck forward, Hu didn’t shoot but passed to Kryvonozhkin, who hit the empty cage.
Kyiv didn`t stop there – Bajaruns scored on the power play, Jansons added one from mid-range, and Shamardin recorded his first goal of the season.
Duve completed the night with his – and the team’s – first shutout of the season.
This dominant win allowed Kyiv to catch league leaders Liepaja, who lost 2:6 to Zemgale/LBTU. Both teams now have 32 points, while the Capitals have two games in hand.
On November 29, Tymchenko’s players will host HS Riga at their home venue.
