Oleg Tymchenko’s team saw their nine-game winning streak in the Optibet Hockey League come to an end.
Mogo/RSU (Latvia) – Kyiv Capitals (Ukraine) – 3:1 (2:1; 0:0; 1:0)
Goals: 0:1 – Novikovs (Hu, Augstkalns), 06:30; 1:1 – Fenenko (Meija, Redlihs – double power play), 11:08; 2:1 – Zemitis (Redlihs), 18:53; 3:1 – Fenenko (Meija, Sarkanis – power play), 51:44.
Mogo/RSU: Karlis Mezsargs; Niks Fenenko – Renarts Bērzins, Deivids Sarkanis – Ernests Krums – Janis Zemitis; Kristaps Jakobsons – Kristaps Sotnieks, Gints Meija (c) – Arturs Vegeris – Maris Bicevskis; Krisjanis Redlihs – Ingus Locmelis, Gatis Sprukts – Elviss Zelubovskis – Kaspars Ziemins; Vladimirs Zaicevs – Kristers Urbanovics, Reinis Martins Lejnieks – Timurs Solostejs – Rolands Vasiļjevs.
Head coach: Girts Ankipans
Kyiv Capitals: Janis Voris; Vitalii Andreikiv – Eduards Hugo Jansonss, Martins Karsums (c) – Lauris Bajaruns – Rustams Begovs; Maksims Sirokovs – Edmunds Augstkalns, Yang Hu – Andrii Kryvonozhkin – Aleksandrs Novikovs; Andrejs Kostjuks – Ivan Shamardin, Denys Honcharenko – Danylo Tsarkovskyi – Renars Cipruss; Valentyn Sirchenko – Oleksii Melnykov, Marat Saroka – Kristians Zelts.
Head coach: Oleg Tymchenko
Kyiv Capitals traveled for the away game against the reigning champions with a few lineup changes. After returning from a boxing bout, Sirokovs rejoined the roster. Meanwhile, Betzold did not pass his tryout, and Fursa was still unable to help the team on the ice. The coaching staff entrusted the starting goaltender role to Voris.
In the first half of the opening period, the visitors took the lead with a goal. Novikovs, who appeared on the second forward line, skillfully converted a breakaway against Mezsargs after a perfectly timed pass from Hu.
In the 10th minute, the hosts had their chance. After a foul by Shamardin, a penalty shot was awarded, but Voris stood firm and denied Zemitis to keep the lead intact.
Trouble mounted for the Kyiv side following penalties to Karsums and Begovs, leaving the team three-on-five. With just 11 seconds remaining before the penalties expired, the Riga side capitalized, as Fenenko reacted quickest to a rebound after Meija’s shot.
Before the first intermission, the hosts took the lead. Zemitis fired a shot through Sirokovs’ screen, and Voris was unable to make the save.
The second period was evenly contested, and thanks to solid goaltending by both Mezsargs and Voris, it ended scoreless. The balance of play was underlined by identical shot totals, with both teams registering 30 shots.
Penalties ultimately played a decisive role, with Kyiv Capitals spending significantly more time shorthanded. One of those power plays was converted by Fenenko, who completed his brace with a shot from the blue line.
The situation worsened for the visitors after Shamardin received a 5+20 penalty. The team managed to kill the penalty, and Tymchenko called a timeout to go six-on-five, but unfortunately, this did not change the outcome.
As a result, Girts Ankipans’ side claimed a 3:1 victory and avenged their previous loss. Mogo/RSU has now extended its winning streak in the Optibet Hockey League to 12 games, a result that has lifted it to first place, one point ahead of Kyiv Capitals.
Meanwhile, Tymchenko’s team still has two games in hand, one of which they will play next Monday against Liepaja.
