An unsuccessful first period by Oleg Tymchenko`s team allowed Mogo/RSU to level the series.
Mogo/RSU (Latvia) – Kyiv Capitals (Ukraine) – 6:2 (4:1; 1:0; 1:1)
Goals: 1:0 – Ziemins (Zelubovskiss, Sprukts), 01:22; 2:0 – Fenenko, 06:11; 3:0 – Leonovs (Berzins), 06:28; 4:0 – Solostejs (Vasiljevs, Biskins), 08:05; 4:1 – Jansons (Hu, Karsums), 12:48; 5:1 – Sarkanis (Meija, Sprukts, – power play), 20:32; 6:1 – Ansons (Fenenko, Sarkanis, – power play), 46:47; 6:2 – Jansons (Begovs), 58:09.
Series score – 1:1.
Mogo/RSU: Karlis Mezsargs (Henrijs Ancs, 43:56); Kristaps Jakobsons – Renarts Berzins, Gints Meija (c) – Rolans Vasiljevs – Maris Bicevskis; Ingus Locmelis – Vladimirs Zaicevs, Gatis Sprukts – Elviss Zelubovskiss – Kaspars Ziemins; Krisjanis Redlihs – Niks Fenenko, Deivids Sarkanis – Ernests Krums – Kristers Ansons; Aleks Elians Leonovs – Aleksandrs Biskins, Ralfs Dragons – Timurs Solostejs – Janis Zemitis.
Head coach: Girts Ankipans
Kyiv Capitals: Nazar Boiko (Maksym Duve, 06:28); Vitalii Andreykiv – Eduards Hugo Jansons, Yang Hu – Martins Karsums (c) – Lauris Bajaruns; Ivan Shamardin – Andrejs Kostjuks, Mykhailo Kovalchuk – Danylo Tsarkovskyi – Daniil Fursa; Daniel Klinecky – Edmunds Augstkalns, Renars Cipruss – Aleksandrs Novikovs – Rustams Begovs; Alberto Colli, Andrii Kryvonozhkin – Valentyn Sirchenko – Denys Honcharenko.
Head coach: Oleh Tymchenko
The Riga side entered the game with changes in every line, while Tymchenko kept the winning lineup from the previous match, with the only exception being Colli, who replaced Melnykov on the fourth line.
The start of the game was a real shock for the Kyiv team. Klinecky lost Ziemins in front of the net, and he redirected the puck past Boiko to give Mogo/RSU the lead.
In the 7th minute, the hosts scored twice within 17 seconds. Fenenko broke away from Honcharenko and Shamardin to place the puck into the corner, and Leonovs – who replaced Sotnieks in the lineup – added another goal with a shot from the blue line.
After that, Duve replaced Boiko in goal. However, Solostejs quickly scored again, making it 4:0 early in the ninth minute.
Although the Capitals looked passive during their first power play, they managed to get on the scoreboard in the 13th minute. Jansons recorded his fifth goal of the current playoff campaign.
At the start of the second period, the visitors pushed forward aggressively while shorthanded, but were punished for it. Meija and Sarkanis made a quick counterattack, finished by Sarkanis.
Kyiv applied more pressure afterward, but couldn`t reduce the four-goal deficit before the second intermission.
In the sixth minute of the third period, the situation worsened for the visitors after a penalty to Andreykiv and a 5+20 penalty to Shamardin, forcing Tymchenko’s team to play 3×5 for 19 seconds.
The hosts extended their lead during a regular power play, with Ansons scoring a goal very similar to the one he had in the previous game.
Before the final buzzer, Jansons completed a brace to set the final score at 6:2.
On March 28, with the series now tied, the teams will meet again at Inbox Ice Arena.
