Oleg Tymchenko’s wards suffered a heavy defeat to the reigning league champions.
For the game in Riga, the coaching staff made only one change to the lineup. Mölder appeared in the net instead of Huunonen.
The start of the match proved quite successful for the hosts. Following a pass from Grinbergs, Polcs outpaced the visiting defensemen and upset Mölder for the first time with an accurate shot.
A little over two minutes later, Zemitis met no real resistance from Romanyshyn and Siekkinen, scoring his eighth goal in matchups against Kyiv Capitals. Thus, even before the midpoint of the first period, the score became 2:0.
The teams headed into the first intermission with a minimal advantage for Girts Ankipans’ squad. Kovalchuk successfully capitalized on a cross-crease pass from Morozov.
However, right in the first minute of the second period, the Riga team restored its two-goal cushion. The Kyiv team defense lost track of Krums, who found Grinbergs with a precise pass. The latter hit the corner of the net, which the goaltender had already left unguarded, with a powerful shot.
Next, both teams successfully converted one power play each. Ziemins took advantage of a scramble in the Kyiv crease and extended the hosts’ lead to three goals, but soon Stradnieks set up Korenchuk in a prime position, who made it 4:2 on the scoreboard.
However, the teams came out for the third period with Mogo/RSU holding a larger lead. Skrastins intercepted the puck and dropped it to Meija. Mölder was unable to cope with a targeted shot into the top corner from the Riga captain.
It is worth noting that Oleg Tymchenko’s squad outshot their opponents over the entire game (33:24) and in the third period specifically (13:8). Nevertheless, it all ended with four more goals from the hosts, authored by Daugavins and three other players who secured final braces – Polcs, Ziemins, and Grinbergs.
Thus, the victory allowed the team from the Latvian capital to reach seven points and climb to first place. The Kyiv team, with four points and one game in hand, currently sits in fourth place.
Mogo/RSU (Latvia) – Kyiv Capitals (Ukraine) – 9:2 (2:1; 3:1; 4:0)
Goals: 1:0 – Polcs (Berzins, Grinbergs), 06:56; 2:0 – Zemitis (Zaicevs), 09:06; 2:1 – Kovalchuk (Morozov, Romanyshyn), 18:27; 3:1 – Grinbergs (Krums, Zemitis), 20:58; 4:1 – Ziemins (Zelubovskiss, Biskins, – power play), 23:14; 4:2 – Korenchuk (Sprukts, Stradnieks, – power play), 26:25; 5:2 – Meija (Skrastins, Zaicevs), 33:35; 6:2 – Polcs (Ziemins, Zelubovskiss), 42:00; 7:2 – Ziemins (Zelubovskiss, Berzins), 54:34; 8:2 – Daugavins (Jakobsons, Skrastins), 56:08; 9:2 – Grinbergs (Krums, Zemitis), 56:47.
Mogo/RSU: Karlis Mezsargs; Kristaps Sotnieks – Renarts Berzins, Gints Meija (c) – Kristaps Skrastins – Kaspars Daugavins; Kristaps Jakobsons – Roberts Kalķis, Ricards Grinbergs – Ernests Krums – Janis Zemitis; Ingus Locmelis – Vladimirs Zaicevs, Elviss Zelubovskiss – Rudolfs Polcs – Kaspars Ziemins; Daniels Aunins – Matiss Bergs, Peteris Pogins – Aleksandrs Biskins – Rolans Vasiļjevs.
Head coach: Girts Ankipans
Kyiv Capitals: Conrad Mölder; Pauls Svars – Harijs Brants, Gatis Sprukts (c) – Kevins Stradnieks – Deivids Sarkanis; Ville Rautiala – Jani Siekkinen, Mykhailo Kovalchuk – Feliks Morozov – Danylo Tsarkovskyi; Vitalii Andreykiv – Eduards Hugo Jansons, Illia Korenchuk – Denys Honcharenko – Lukas Zukauskas; Anton Romanyshyn, Danylo Baida – Renars Cipruss – Kristians Zelts.
Head coach: Oleg Tymchenko
The season will continue for our team next Wednesday with a road game against Liepaja.
