“Mogo / LSPA” defeated HK “Liepāja” hockey players in the Latvian championship game 4: 1 in Riga on Sunday and exacerbated the situation in the top three of the tournament table. The fight was intense until the last minute, until the victory of “Mogo / LSPA” was confirmed with a two-goal goal.
“Olimp / Venta 2002” maintained its leading position in the tournament, followed by HK “Liepāja”, but only with a one-point advantage over “Mogo / LSPA”.
“Mogo / LSPA” scored one goal in the first two thirds, but the team from Liepaja reduced the difference in the third period. In the last minute of the match, the winners still sent the puck in the empty HK “Liepāja” goal, as well as achieved the final result 4: 1.
Mogo / LSPA takes the lead
Miks Lipsbergs revealed the result in the last second of the first third, correcting the throw of the “Mogo / LSPA” defender Kārlis Čukste from the blue line.
Interview with Kārlis Čuksti
During the break, Čukste was happy with the goal in an interview with Latvian Television and admitted that the more active efforts of Liepaja players to play back should be taken into account in the continuation of the game. Whisper emphasized that Mogo / LSPA should try to follow their style of play and discipline.
The pressure of “Mogo / LSPA” at the beginning of the second third allowed the owners of the field to double. Elviss Kaimiņš led the puck into the net from the front of the gate.
During the break after the second period, HK “Liepāja” striker Bruno Zabis admitted that the team failed the game at the end of the third, when there was an opportunity to reduce the result difference in the fifth against three opponents. Liepāja has strength, but it is necessary to score a goal so that the course of the game changes drastically, said Zabis.
The expectations of Liepāja residents were strengthened by the middle of the third period Artūrs Mickevičs, hitting Artūrs Šilovs in the top nine of the guarded goal.
HK “Liepāja” replaced the goalkeeper with a field player in the last minute, but Lauris Rancevs hit the empty net and strengthened the field’s victory.
The frustration of Liepāja residents was intensified by Čukste, who beat Māris Jučers to the end whistle.
Šilovs, who was recognized as the best player in the match after the first game of his career in “Mogo / LSPA”, said in an interview on Latvian Television that the team’s self-confidence allowed him to win. Before the match, Šilov calculated that there might not be many throws in the game, and he was psychologically attuned to it.
Interview with Normunds Sējēja
HK “Liepāja” head coach Normunds Sējējs told the Latvian Television before the game that the team used a break in the game calendar to strengthen the line-up, where several players have been injured. To strengthen the line of defense, the Liepāja team attracted Artūrs Salijs.
Interview with Igor Smirnov
“Mogo / LSPA” head coach Igor Smirnov also admitted that after the previous game at the end of October, the team continued to prepare all the time. As a good addition, Smirnov called the coach the attraction of the goalkeeper Artūrs Šilovs, who has been known since the days of hockey school. Smirnov named scoring a goal as the main problem in the team, because there is no success with the realization, although there is no lack of opportunities to score a goal. Smirnov hoped that “Mogo / LSPA” would play well in front of the Liepaja team in the attack.
In the regular season, the teams will play six laps, after which the battle for the title will continue in the playoffs. Due to the conditions introduced to limit the pandemic, HS “Rīga” games have been postponed indefinitely in the tournament, because the team is played by underage hockey players.
Seven clubs play in the Latvian Premier League – one team less than last season, because HK “Kurbads” does not participate. Last season, the winner of the regular season was HK “Olimp”, but the playoffs did not take place due to the pandemic, so the tournament ended without declaring a champion.
Highlight text and press Ctrl+Enterto send the text to be edited!
Highlight text and press Report a bug buttons to send the text to be edited!
