HK Zemgale/LBTU is a Latvian professional ice hockey team that plays in the Latvian Hockey Higher League. The team is based in Jelgava and play their home games at the Jelgava Ice hall.

HK Zemgale/LBTU
CityJelgava, Latvia
LeagueOHL
Founded2002[1]
Home arenaJelgava Ice hall
(capacity: 1,500[2])
ColoursBlue, red, white
     
PresidentArmands Ozollapa
Head coachArtis Ābols
CaptainRustams Begovs[3]
Parent club(s)Dinamo Riga (OHL)[4]
Websitehkzemgale.lv
Franchise history
2002–2003ASK/Zemgale[1]
2003–presentHK Zemgale
Championships
Latvian Hockey Higher League2 (2021–22, 2022–23)

History

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The team was founded in 2002, shortly after the opening of the Jelgava Ice hall, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence.[1] The team was initially called ASK/Zemgale, and joined the Latvian Hockey Higher League, in addition the team also participated in Division 2 of the Eastern European Hockey League during the 2002–03 season. At the culmination of the season, financial issues meant that the team split in two, with the ASK franchise relocating to Ogre, creating ASK/Ogre, whilst the Zemgale side of the partnership remained in the town, operating under the name HK Zemgale.[1] The team remained in the Latvian first tier for two further seasons before disbanding following the culmination of the 2004–05 season.

Zemgale remained inactive until the 2010–11 season, when they reformed and returned to the Latvian top tier,[1] where they have played since. Usually a mid-table team,[3] HK Zemgale's most successful season came in the 2017-18 season where they made it to the play-off final, ultimately losing to HK Kurbads,[5] under Head Coach Haralds Vasiljevs.[6]

In 2013, the team established a partnership with the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (Latvian: Latvijas Lauksaimniecības universitāte (LLU)).[7][8] In addition, Zemgale also serve as the farm team to the KHL's Dinamo Riga.[4] During the 2020/21 season, David Levin played a handful of games for the team whilst under contract with Dinamo.[9]

Roster

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Updated February 11, 2021.[3]

Goaltenders
Number Player Catches Acquired Place of Birth
30   Mariuss Bajaruns-Galejs L 2018 Riga, Latvia
1   Rihards Cimermanis L 2016 Riga, Latvia
45   Artjoms Ļeščenko R 2020 -
Defencemen
Number Player Shoots Acquired Place of Birth
47   Renars Džerods Alksnis L 2018 Aloja, Latvia
44   Harijs Brants L 2020 Valmiera, Latvia
33   Aleksandrs Galkins (A) R 2020 Daugavpils, Latvia
5   Daniels Goršānovs L 2018 -
89   Iļja Grekovs L 2020 Liepāja, Latvia
85   Kristaps Jākobsons L 2020 Riga, Latvia
83   Roberts Kaļķis L 2020 Riga, Latvia
55   Patriks Ozols L 2020 -
77   Mārtiņš Porejs (A) L 2020 Riga, Latvia
35   Haralds Rauls Slišāns L 2020 -
Forwards
Number Player Shoots Position Acquired Place of Birth
22   Vladislavs Adeļsons L F 2017 -
7   Rustams Begovs (C) L C 2018 Olaine, Latvia
97   Ričards Bernhards R RW 2017 Riga, Latvia
73   Ričards Briņecs R F 2018 Jelgava, Latvia
0   Verners Fricbergs R F 2020 Riga, Latvia
19   Artūrs Homjakovs L W 2019 -
72   Roberts Jekimovs R LW/RW 2020 Riga, Latvia
23   Ralfs Jevdokimovs L F 2020 -
17   Aleksandrs Novikovs L W 2018 Liepāja, Latvia
88   Roberts Petrovičs L F 2020 -
14   Frenks Razgals L LW/RW 2020 Riga, Latvia
13   Kristaps Roķis L F 2020 Valmiera, Latvia
90   Kirils Tambijevs L C/RW 2019 Riga, Latvia
71   Deivids Tempelmanis R F 2020 -
16   Deniss Vilmans R W 2020 Liepāja, Latvia
8   Aleksandrs Visockis L LW 2019 Liepāja, Latvia

Season-by-season record

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Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Season League GP W L T OTW OTL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs
2015–16 Latvian Hockey Higher League 30 17 11 1 1 54 137 87 4th Quarter-final loss
2016–17 Latvian Hockey Higher League 30 18 7 2 3 61 137 85 3rd Semi-final loss
2017–18 Optibet Hockey League 30 12 13 4 1 45 87 94 4th Final loss
2018–19 Optibet Hockey League 35 20 11 2 2 66 138 89 2nd Semi-final loss
2019–20 Optibet Hockey League 35 15 14 2 4 38 138 105 5th Playoffs cancelled

Team records

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Career

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These are the top five scorers in HK Zemgale/LLU history.[3]

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points

Player Pos GP G A Pts
Guntis Pujāts F 91 100 98 198
Raivis Kurnigins D 235 67 110 177
Artjoms Ogorodņikovs F 156 53 87 140
Artūrs Batraks F 179 47 84 131
Olafs Aploks F 138 58 75 128

Penalty minutes: Krišs Kupčus, 211

Season

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Regular season

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Playoffs

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Notable players

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Notable coaches

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Klubs - Hokeja klubs" (in Latvian). HK Zemgale/LLU. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  2. ^ "Jelgavas Ledushalle". HockeyArenas.net. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "Elite Prospects - Zemgale". EliteProspects.com. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Arēna Rīga". Arēna Rīga. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  5. ^ "LHF - 2017/18: OHL" (in Latvian). Optibet Hockey League. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  6. ^ "Elite Prospects - Zemgale". EliteProspects.com. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  7. ^ "Jelgavas hokeja klubs" (in Latvian). HK Zemgale/LLU. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  8. ^ ""Zemgale/LLU" sirsnīgi uzņemta LLU" (in Latvian). HK Zemgale/LLU. April 3, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "David Levin on EliteProspects.com". EliteProspects.com. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
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