The home team started the game better and took the lead in the 9th minute – the long-time “Prism” forward Kristaps Riekstiņš, who had 21 (10+11) points in 23 games in the regular season, corrected Harald Gabrān‘s puck past the goal from the awkward side.
“Prism” veteran and captain Eddy Brahmanis received the first dismissal in the game in the 28th minute for throwing the puck out of bounds, but the Kyiv “Capitals” did not realize the majority and responded with as many as three dismissals in a row, and for the third time, Canadian Chinese Sam Hu was dismissed until the end of the match for pushing a rival into the sidelines. One and a half minutes later, Brahmanis doubled the advantage (2:0) with a strong shot. In the regular season, the 42-year-old Brahmani had 33 (16+17) points in 26 games.
After the end of the big minority, the “Capitals” were in the majority with a big chance. First, Matīss Bīriņš received 2+2 penalty minutes, but a minute later, after stopping a dangerous rival attack, Ilya Grekovs left the team in the third. In the fifth against three, “Capitals” defender Eduards Jansons scored two goals in just 13 seconds – first he hit hard with one touch from the throw circle, but after the restart of the game, the effective defender also made it 2:2.
Indiscipline continued with the rejection of “Capitals”, but it was the guests who were able to take the lead – “Capitals” lost two against the goalkeeper, but “Prism” was saved by 17-year-old Martins Eldmanis, who allowed only one puck in the first game of the series (24/25 for Eldman, 19/25 for his replacement Arginto Milberg). Seven minutes before the end of regular time, Eldmanis didn’t save either – Vitalys Andreikivs made an easy shot for Jansons in an empty corner with a filigree pass and hat-trick (3:2). Janson already has four goals in the series, but in the regular season he will have 36 (13+23) points in 39 games.
As the rejections continued and playing four-on-four, in the 56th minute it became 3-3 instead of 2-4 – Alexander Novikov’s goal was disallowed for interfering with the goalkeeper, but in the next attack the balance was restored by the MVP of the main tournament Roberts Yekimov (3-3), who had 66 (28+38) points in 40 games in the regular season.
Already in the 25th second of overtime, the home team was left in the minority by the experienced Aleksandrs Yerofeevs, who stopped Kovalchuk’s breakthrough with a penalty. “Prizma” managed three against four, however, just eight seconds later, “Capitals” snatched the victory – Daniils Fursa, striker of the Estonian national team, was accurate from in front of the goal (4:3).
“Prizma” won the first mutual duel of the season with 3:2 in extra time, but now “Capitals” have cheered six times in a row – in the regular season with 6:2, 6:2, 6:3 and even 16:3, as well as in the first game of the quarterfinals with 7:2. The next game of the series will take place on Wednesday at 18.00 in Pinkis.
Prizma – Kyiv Capitals 3:4 (1:0, 1:0, 1:3, 0:1).
Gate: 8:17 Riekstiņš (Gabrāns) 1:038:13 Brahman (plural) 2:043:36 Jansons (Fursa, Begov, etc.) 1:243:49 Jansons (Bajarun, Karsum, etc.) 2:253:05 Janson (Andreikiv, Kovalchuk) 2:355:35 Yekimov 3:362:33 Opportunity 3:4.
Throws: 43:40.
Penalty minutes: 14:33.
Goalkeepers: Martins Eldmanis – Nazars Boyko.
“Optibet” hockey league playoffs
| A couple | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [3.] Liepaja HK – [6.] HC Panter | 4:1 | 5:2 | 17.03. | 19.03. | 21.03. |
| [4.] Kyiv Capitals – [5.] Prism | 7:2 | 4:3 P | 18.03. | 20.03. | 22.03. |
