Aleksandrs Ņiživijs (17) gets a roughing up from the Spartak defensive lines, but it was he who had the last laugh as Dinamo Riga walked away with the win. Photo used courtesy of Dinamo Riga.
MOSCOW — Dinamo Riga claimed a second win in three days, defeating Spartak 3-2.
The victory hands Dinamo Riga a further three points as they continue to edge their way to playoff contention, assisted by other results going in their favor. Since the KHL broke for ten days in early November for international matches, Dinamo Riga have completely turned their season around winning five of their last nine games, with a further two going to overtime, assuring at least one point for the Latvians.
Dinamo Riga continued from where they left on Saturday, completely controlling the first period. Tyler Arnason had his first goal in Dinamo Riga colours in the third minute, taking the goal behind the net before reemerging to the goalie’s right catching him unaware.
Coach Julius Suplers was rewarded again soon after for giving Arnason more time on the ice when he had his second. In what has become one of his signature plays, Arnason moved the puck up the right before flicking it into the center in the hope of finding a Dinamo Riga stick. On this occasion he could not find the stick of Mike Iggulden but rather that of a Spartak defender who claimed the unenviable achievement of deflecting the puck into the back of his own net.
Martin Shibak had the Moscovites on the board as the second period got underway, alluding Edgars Masaļskis in third minute. Dinamo Riga were lucky not to conceive another soon after, with Spartak seemingly having claimed the equalizer, only for the referees to adjudicate that a whistle had been blown before the puck entered the net.
After giving Marcel Hossa plenty of assists in games gone by, Jānis Sprukts finally had the favor returned with Hossa this time playing the bridesmaid for Sprukts whose goal gave Dinamo Riga a 2-goal buffer with just over nine minutes left to play.
However the complacency that haunted Dinamo Riga in early season following goals seemingly snuck back into their game, conceding a simple goal to Knayazev Kirril, giving the hosts a sniff.
Fortunately Dinamo Riga were able to hold their nerves to record another solid road victory.
Dinamo Riga have become something of a bogey team for Spartak, with the Moscovites failing to claim a point from them in their three meetings to date this season. Next up, Dinamo Riga will be seeking revenge when they meet MVD on Wednesday. It will be the second time the teams meet in a matter of days, with MVD winning the previous match-up 2-1. The game will also mark another chance for the Latvian contingent in the Dinamo Riga squad to push their cases for selection in the up and coming test matches against Denmark, with national coach Oleg Znarok also coaching MVD.
