Oleg Tymchenko’s team fired 16 goals past Prizma.
Kyiv Capitals (Ukraine) – Prizma (Latvia) – 16:3 (5:1; 7:2; 4:0)
Goals: 1:0 – Kryvonozhkin, 05:33; 1:1 – Stamurs (Gabrans), 06:09; 2:1 – Begovs (Karsums, Bajaruns), 06:55; 3:1 – Kovalchuk (Fursa, Hu), 11:32; 4:1 – Novikovs (Kryvonozhkin), 12:00; 5:1 – Jansons (Begovs, Bajaruns), 13:28; 6:1 – Honcharenko (Klinecky), 22:32; 7:1 – Bajaruns, 23:11; 7:2 – Jekimovs (Locmelis, Erofeev), 24:29; 8:2 – Bajaruns (Begovs), 25:37; 9:2 – Novikovs (Tsarkovskyi, Kryvonozhkin), 27:49; 9:3 – Stamurs (Birins, Jekimovs), 29:59; 10:3 – Colli (Tsarkovskyi, Novikovs), 31:34; 11:3 – Hu (shorthanded), 34:23; 12:3 – Kovalchuk (Klinecki, Cipruss), 37:39; 13:3 – Jansons (Novikovs), 44:19; 14:3 – Tsarkovskyi (Kostjuks, Novikovs), 47:20; 15:3 – Begovs (Karsums, Bajaruns), 54:28; 16:3 – Begovs (Kryvonozhkin, Bajaruns, – power play), 55:28.
Kyiv Capitals: Maksym Duve (Nazar Boiko, 40:00); Vitalii Andreykiv – Eduards Hugo Jansons, Martins Karsums (c) – Lauris Bajaruns – Rustams Begovs; Andrejs Kostjuks – Alberto Colli, Mykhailo Kovalchuk – Yang Hu – Daniil Fursa; Daniel Klinecky – Ivan Shamardin, Andrii Kryvonozhkin – Danylo Tsarkovskyi – Aleksandrs Novikovs; Oleksii Melnykov, Denys Honcharenko – Kristians Zelts – Renars Cipruss.
Head coach: Oleg Tymchenko
Prizma: Janis Auzins (Arginto Milbergs, 12:00; Janis Auzins, 23:11); Matiss Birins – Aleksandr Erofeev, Emils Locmelis – Kristaps Riekstins – Roberts Jekimovs; Italo Milbergs – Reinis Virsnitis, Haralds Gabrans – Ricards Stamurs – Edijs Brahmanis (c); Ilja Grekovs – Deniss Kornilovs, Rihards Purgailis – Ricards Jelenskis – Gustavs Alberts Moruzs; Kirills Opikovs – Alekss Bluks, Ricardo Valerio Fino David – Patriks Egle.
Head coach: Eriks Miluns
The hosts played the game on a festive occasion, as assistant coach Roman Salnykov and goaltender Maksym Duve celebrated their birthdays. Duve made his second consecutive start. While the goaltending position remained unchanged, adjustments were made to all forward lines except the first one. Overall, the roster stayed nearly the same, with Zelts replacing Sirchenko on the fourth line.
Already in the sixth minute, the line adjustments paid off. Kryvonozhkin, skating alongside Tsarkovskyi and Novikovs, opened the scoring. He was quickest near the crease after Kostjuks’ shot from the point and beat Auzins with a sharp turnaround effort.
However, the visitors quickly restored parity. After a rebound off the boards, Gabrans had the first chance, but it was Stamurs who finished the play, giving Duve no chance.
The goal frenzy continued, and within 82 seconds the fans in Pinki saw another goal. Begovs restored the Capitals’ lead. After Karsums’ shot was stopped by Auzins, Begovs capitalized on the rebound and slid the puck into the empty net.
Kyiv kept pushing. Within 28 seconds, they scored twice more. First, Fursa stayed on his feet and fed Kovalchuk, who netted his first goal for Kyiv Capitals. Then Kryvonozhkin set up Novikovs at the far post to make it 4:1. Shortly after, Auzins was replaced in goal by Arginto Milbergs.
Milbergs’ shutout didn`t last long either. Begovs led another rush and set up Jansons, who made it 5:1.
The second period also started poorly for the visitors. Kyiv scored twice more, with Honcharenko firing in from near the blue line and Bajaruns capitalizing on a defensive mistake by Virsnitis. Auzins returned to the crease after that goal.
The league’s top scorer, Roberts Jekimovs, also found the net, collecting his 58th point of the season after a pass from Locmelis.
Kyiv showed no signs of slowing down. Goals from Bajaruns and Novikovs extended the lead to 9:2.
Prizma managed to score their third as Jekimovs, Birins, and Stamurs combined for a well-worked play finished by Stamurs, who secured a brace.
Later in the second period, Colli scored his debut goal for Kyiv Capitals with a mid-range shot, bringing the tally into double digits.
Prizma had a chance to improve its situation on a power play after Begovs was penalized, but instead conceded a shorthanded goal. Hu carried the puck the length of the ice and beat Auzins with a powerful shot.
Hu’s goal set a new scoring record in the Optibet League, and before the second intermission, Kovalchuk added his second of the night to make it twelve.
In the third period, Boiko replaced Duve in goal for Kyiv. He handled his chances confidently, while his teammates added four more goals. Jansons and Tsarkovskyi both scored, and Begovs netted twice within a minute to complete his hat trick. Bajaruns finished as the game’s top performer with six points (2+4).
Thus, Tymchenko’s side surpassed their previous biggest win of the season (10:1 against Panter). Meanwhile, the Riga club conceded five more goals than in their previous heaviest defeat (3:11 against Zemgale/LBTU), setting a new unwanted record.
Despite the emphatic victory, Kyiv’s position in the standings remained unchanged. The Capitals will return to action on February 21 with a home game against Hockey Punks.
