Ozolnieki/Monarch and champion Metalurgs Liepaja 2 need just two games to knock out Prizma Riga and Zemgale and advance to Latvian League semifinals. Ozolnieki won two games 9-3 and 4-0, while Metalurgs, alligning players from main team, crushed Zemgale 7-2 and 3-0.
Semifinals will see regular season champion SMS Credit against Metalurgs and Ozolnieki - HK Juniors Riga
(14 Mar 2013)
Aigars Cipruss is the new head coach of Lithuanian club Baltica Vilnius of the MHL-B.
Cipruss is currently Latvian national team Assistant Coach and an active player in the Latvian League with Ozolnieki/Monarch. Last season he coached HK Juniors Riga in same MHL-B
(04 Jan 2013)
Latvian Federation anounces Tom Coolen and Aigars Cipruss were named National Team head coach Ted Nolan assistants
58-year-old Canadian Tom Coolen coached in North America and Europe, included teams in DEL (Kaufbeuren), NLA (Ambri-Piotta and Lausanne), SM-Liiga (HIFK Helsinki) and EBEL (Feldkirch). "Coolen is in the world of hockey from more then 30-years, he will be a good assistant to Nolan and certainly strengthen the Latvian hockey staff" said LHF President Kirovs Lipmans.
40-year-old Aigars Cipruss was Latvian U20 team assistant coach in the last two years after having played for 17 years for Latvia, closing his international career with. 172 caps and 112 (50 +62) points. He is still active in domestic League with HK Ozolnieki/Monarch
Both newly appointed coaches will debut on November 9th when Latvia will play against russia at Arena Riga.
(31 Oct 2012)
The LHF announces the 8 clubs of the Latvijas Virslīga for this season: SK Liepājas Metalurgs II, HK Ozolnieki/MONARCH, DHK Latgale, SMScredit.lv, HK Zemgale/JLSS, HS Rīga/Prizma, HK Juniors and SK Rīga'96. HS Rīga/LSPA and Lithuanian side Elektrēnu Energija won't participate. The league is scheduled to start 12 September 2012.
(21 Aug 2012)
Ozolnieki/Monarch wins 2-1 Latvian League playoffs finals game #3 against Liepaja Metalurgs 2, earning the first victory in the series. Goals by Sergejs Durdins and Aleksandrs Šiškovičs answered to Gunars Skvorcovs opening one, scored after 35 seconds. The series is now leading by Metalurgs 2-1. Next game is tomorrow, again in Liepaja
(09 Apr 2012)
Six games were enough for current champion Liepaja Metalurgs-2 to sweep out SMS Credit and advance to finals against regular season winner Ozolnieki. In last game Metalurgs, alligning some of first team top players, win 5-3 against SMS Credits. As last year the Latvian title will be decided between Ozolnieki and Liepaja Metalurgs-2
(01 Apr 2012)
Ozolnieki Monarch sweeps out HK Juniors Riga in four games, closing the series with 5-3 victory in game four after been recovered from a 3-1 gap after second period. A 4-0 half points in last period gives Ozolnieki the third consecutive finals in Latvian League. In other pairs Liepaja Metalurgs-2 ties 2-2 the series beating 4-2 SMS-Credit
(28 Mar 2012)
In Latvijas Virslīga semifinals game #3 Ozolnieki Monarchs get the third victory against Juniors Riga recovering from 1-3 and closing the game 5-3 with two goals by Artis Abols in third period. In the other pair SMS Credit get a capital success against Liepaja Metalurgs-2 with a lonely goal by veteran Aleksandr Kercs and now leads the series 2-1
(26 Mar 2012)
To call some star players from MHL HK Riga wasn't enough for Juniors Riga to win semifinal game #2 in Latvian League. Despite initial advantage scored by Ainars Podzins, Juniors conceeded 3 goals to Ozolnieki, now 2-0 in the series. The other pair confirms to be very balanced: SMS Credit equalizes the series beating Liepaja Metalurgs-2 4-3 at shoot-outs: Ronalds Cinks scores decisive penalty. Games #3 will be played next monday
(25 Mar 2012)
Latvijas Virslīga playoffs semifinals started today: Regular Season winner Ozolnieki/Monarch clearly win over Juniors Riga. Ozolnieki veterans scored five goals with five different players for the final 5-2. In other pairs the young Liepaja Metalurgs-2 turns over the score in the last period against SMS-credit, another team with a lot of veterans in the rosters: 45-years-old Aleksandr Kercs scored twice for SMS but his team lost 3-4.
(23 Mar 2012)