‘Zemgale’/LLU ends ‘Mestis’ league losing streak

Latvian champion hockey team”Zemgale“/LLU, playing the penultimate match in 2022, won the game of the second championship of Finland or “Mestis” on Wednesday.

Jelgava team won 5:1 (2:0, 2:1, 1:0) over Joensuu “Kiekko-Pojat” (JoKP) in the home game.

The hockey players “Zemgale”/LLU “Mestis” won their first championship victory in December, before that they suffered five defeats in a row.

Daniel Anderson put the hosts ahead in the second minute of play, but less than five minutes later Artur Khomyakov doubled the lead.

In the second period, precise shots from Krister Braun and Jerold Alkšnias made it 4-0, but later in the third period the visitors managed to recover one goal, when Vilijami Kupiainen sent the puck into the hosts’ goal.

In the last third, the hockey players “Zemgale”/LLU used the numerical advantage and Richards Bernhardts scored most of the goals.

Rihards Zimmermanis defended the goal for the home team, who saved 33 shots, while Kasper Lehikoinen made 25 shots on goal he was defending.

Jelgavnieki was without coach Artas Ābolas and four other hockey players in this match, as they represent the Latvian national team at the junior world championship in Canada.

The two teams will meet on Thursday at 6.30pm.

With 19 points from 21 games, Jelgava’s team is in 14th place in the 14-team competition, while Joensuu’s team is in seventh place with 38 points from 25 games.

The Latvian champion “Mestis” will play 52 matches in four rounds in the main tournament of the championship, 26 of which will take place in the ice hall “Zemgale/LLU” in Jelgava.

Last season, Imatra’s “Kettera” became the champion team of Finland’s second strongest league, which beat “Kiekko-Espoo” 4-1 in the final series.

Jelgava “Zemgale”/LLU won its first Latvian championship title in the 2021/2022 season, beating previous champions “Olimp”/”Venta 2002” 4-0 in the final series.