In the fourth final game of the “Optibet” Baltic League, the Jelgava hockey team “Zemgale/LBTU” ended four periods with a draw of 3:3 (2:1; 0:2; 1:0; 0:0) and lost to “Moģo/LSPA” in the post-match shootout. . In the series of final games, Jelgavniki are behind by two points 1:3.
Forward Rinalds Vutkevičs and goalkeeper Marius Bajarun-Galej returned to “Zemgale/LBTU” after healing their injuries. Kristiana Zelta was replaced by Kristers Vītoliņš in the attack. Unfortunately, after the injury suffered in the previous game, Edgars Dīkis could not join the team and watched the game from the sidelines together with another experienced defender of the team, Mārtinas Porējus.
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Despite the return of Bajaruna-Galėjas, the defense of the goal was entrusted to Rihards Zimermanis. Rihards, as usual, shows a fantastic performance, but there are moments when he too cannot save the team. In the ninth minute, Riga forward Davids Sarkanis opened the game after Jelgava’s team failed to attack the opponents in front of the goal – 0:1.
Less than two minutes later, forward Richards Bernhardts of “Zemħale/LBTU” corrected the puck sent by Silver’s defender Uvja Lazarenok and equalized the score – 1:1.
Unfortunately, after only twenty seconds, the Jelgavians had to experience an unpleasant goal loss. Riga defender Renarts Bērziņš made a puck pass that hit the Jelgava defender’s skate, changed the trajectory and Rihards Cimmermanis was powerless to save his team – 1:2.
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In the second third, the players of “Zemgale/LBTU” managed to impose their game, which allowed Kevin Strādnieks to equalize the result of the game, and Kārlis Buceniek to put Jelgavnieks in the lead of the game – 3:2.
In the third period, the fight started again until in the middle of the game, “Mogo/LSPA” striker Kristers Ansons helped his team to fight back with an accurate long shot – 3:3.
The teams played a full fourth overtime period in which the game winner would be determined by the first goal scored, but neither team managed to do so. The winner was determined in post-game shots, in which “Moģo/LSPA” hockey players were more successful – 3:4.
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In the series of final games, “Zemľale/LBTU” still remains in the role of the driver with the result 1:3. On Thursday, April 4, at the Jelgava Ice Hall, Jelgava players will have another chance to break the course of the series, as it will continue until a team’s four wins.
Photo: Ruslans Antropov
