Elektrēni “Energija” Climbs into Playoff Contention with Weekend Sweep
Elektrēni, Latvia – Elektrēni “Energija” has surged into the playoff zone following a pair of weekend victories over Lithuanian rivals, solidifying their position in the competitive Latvian Hockey League. The team secured a 3-2 overtime win on Friday, followed by a decisive 4-2 victory on Saturday, overtaking Tallinn “Panter” in the standings despite the Estonian club having played three additional games.
The recent success marks a important shift in the league’s playoff picture. Through 18 games, “Energija” now holds 13 points, surpassing “Panter’s” 12. The climb comes amidst a generally predictable league landscape, where teams like “Capitals” and Liepāja have consistently demonstrated strong performance.
Elsewhere in the league, Liepāja suffered a 2-6 loss to “Zemgale,” despite a strong start to the second period. Patrik Zabusov and Ate Rajala contributed to “Zemgale’s” comeback, while junior goaltender patrika Plūmiņa stopped 31 of 33 shots faced. “Prism” and liepāja played to a 3-3 tie on Saturday before Liepāja secured a 4-3 win with a late goal from Kārlis Ozoliņš and an empty-netter by Dominik Sadauskas. Jānis auzīna, “Prism’s” goaltender, was praised for his performance, saving 44 of 48 shots.
“Mogo” faced Tallinn “Panter” in a pair of games that yielded predictable results – 1-2 and 1-4 losses – and were not expected to be competitive. A rumored birthday gift from team captain gints Meija to head coach Đirtas Ankipānas did not materialize.
Current Standings (as of November 26, 2023):
- “Capitals” – 34 points (19 games)
- Liepāja – 34 points (21 games)
- “Mogo” – 31 points (20 games)
- “Zemgale” – 30 points (19 games)
- “Prism” – 20 points (19 games)
- “Energija” – 13 points (18 games)
- “Panter” – 12 points (21 games)
- “Punk” – 8 points (18 games)
- Riga HS – 5 points (17 games)
looking ahead, key matchups this week include “Mogo” versus Liepāja on wednesday and “Capitals” versus Liepāja on Saturday.
