Oleg Tymchenko’s men managed to claw back a three-goal deficit during the meeting, but it proved to be not quite enough.
Mogo/RSU (Latvia) – Kyiv Capitals (Ukraine) – 6:5 (2:0; 4:5; 0:0)
Goals: 1:0 – Vasiljevs (Redlihs, Zelubovskis), 13:55; 2:0 – Fenenko (Zemitis, Redlihs), 18:47; 2:1 – Hu (Fursa, Tsarkovskyi, – power play), 22:22; 3:1 – Zemitis (Berzins, Bicevskis, – power play), 28:35; 4:1 – Sarkanis (Sprukts, Zaicevs), 29:26; 4:2 – Jansons (Andreykiv, Karsums), 30:11; 5:2 – Berzins (Zemitis, Bicevskis), 31:00; 6:2 – Meija (Sarkanis, Zaicevs), 32:03; 6:3 – Tsarkovskyi (Shamardin, Augstkalns), 32:26; 6:4 – Fursa (Tsarkovskyi), 34:38; 6:5 – Bajaruns (Jansons, Begovs), 39:37.
Series score – 3:2.
Mogo/RSU: Karlis Mezsargs (Henrijs Ancs, 40:00); Krisjanis Redlihs – Niks Fenenko, Gints Meija (c) – Gatis Sprukts – Deivids Sarkanis; Kristaps Sotnieks – Renarts Berzins, Ernests Krums – Kaspars Ziemins – Janis Zemitis; Ingus Locmelis – Vladimirs Zaicevs, Elviss Zelubovskis – Rolans Vasiljevs – Maris Bicevskis; Anatolijs Tovariss – Reinis Martins Lejnieks, Aleksandrs Biskins – Timurs Solostejs – Kristers Ansons.
Head coach: Girts Ankipans.
Kyiv Capitals: Janis Voris (Nazar Boiko, 32:03); Vitalii Andreykiv – Eduards Hugo Jansons, Martins Karsums (c) – Lauris Bajaruns – Rustams Begovs; Alberto Colli – Daniel Klinecky, Yang Hu – Renars Cipruss – Kristians Zelts; Ivan Shamardin – Edmunds Augstkalns, Mykhailo Kovalchuk – Danylo Tsarkovskyi – Daniil Fursa; Valentyn Sirchenko, Andrii Kryvonozhkin – Denys Honcharenko – Aleksandrs Novikovs.
Head coach: Oleg Tymchenko.
Our team started the fifth game of the series with a strong competitive lineup. Only two defenders, Oleksii Melnykov and Andrejs Kostjuks, were left out of the rotation. The Riga team also received good news as their goaltender, Karlis Mezsargs, returned from injury to start the game.
In a fairly balanced contest, the hosts managed to open the scoring. The puck landed perfectly for Vasiljevs, who, finding himself unmarked, sent it into the top corner of Voris’ net. Late in the period, Mogo/RSU doubled its lead when Fenenko successfully worked the crease to put a second goal past the Kyiv Capitals.
The tide turned at the start of the second period. Sotnieks received a two-minute penalty, and the visitors took full advantage. Hu found space in front of the net and, following a pass from Tsarkovskyi, fired accurately into the bottom corner. However, the visitors soon faced a six-minute minority following penalties to Voris and Shamardin (2+2). Zemitis capitalized on the situation, restoring a two-goal lead for Mogo/RSU.
This goal inspired the hosts, who quickly added a fourth. Shamardin lost a board battle to Sprukts, who fed Sarkanis. Deivids escaped Kovalchuk and masterfully beat Voris. Jansons came to the Capitals’ rescue once again, netting his eighth goal of the playoffs, but within less than two minutes, Berzins and Meija extended the Mogo/RSU lead to four goals. Following the sixth goal, Boiko replaced Voris in the net.
The Kyiv side refused to surrender. Tsarkovskyi beat Fenenko and fired into the top corner to score the Capitals’ third. Oleg Tymchenko’s squad found their rhythm, and by the 35th minute, they cut the deficit to two. Tsarkovskyi crossed to the far post, where Fursa was left completely open to beat Mezsargs. Before the second intermission, Bajaruns brought the score to within one, promising a truly intense third period.
Ancs took over the hosts’ net to start the third. Tymchenko’s men applied heavy pressure from the start but struggled to convert their chances. In the 51st minute, Girts Ankipans’ team was penalized for too many men on the ice, but Kyiv could not capitalize on the gift.
With 1:51 remaining in regulation, Oleg Tymchenko pulled Boiko for an extra attacker. Despite a massive advantage in shots during the third period (20:5), the Kyiv Capitals could not find a way past Ancs. Consequently, their opponents lead the series for the first time, 3:2. The battle continues on April 3rd at the Inbox Ice Arena.
