Latvian U20 Hockey Team | Photo: Chris Tanouye/IIHF
Latvian U20 hockey team they will play their first game today in Canada world Championship in the elite division, competing with their Austrian peers in a run of up to two victories. The match will start at 16.30 Latvian time, will be broadcast live on TV6 channel.
The second match will be played on Wednesday at 5pm, but if a third match is needed it will be played the next day at 5pm. Both national teams took last, fifth place in their sub-groups. In four matches, Latvian hockey players collected one point and the ratio of goals scored/lost was 4:14, but the Austrians remained second and accumulated the worst balance in the subgroup – 2:35.
Latvian ice hockey players started the tournament with a 2:5 defeat to the USA, followed by a 2:3 penalty shoot-out defeat against Switzerland, but in their last two games they suffered two “one piece” defeats with 0 :3 against Finland and Slovakia. The Austrian ice hockey players did not score a goal in their first three matches and suffered major losses (0:11 against Sweden, 0:9 against the Czech Republic and 0:11 against Canada), but in the decisive match for a place in the quarter-finals, Germany’s superiority was recognized with 2:4.
Tickets for the semi-finals on Monday will be split between Finland and Sweden, the Czech Republic and Switzerland, the United States and Germany, as well as Canada and Slovakia. The Latvian and Austrian hockey players last met in the junior league in Group A of the first division in 2019, with the Austrians winning 2:1. At the previous junior world championship, held in August in the Canadian city of Edmonton, the Latvian team reached the quarterfinals for the first time in history, finishing in seventh place overall. No team has been relegated from the elite division.
Initially, the organization of the year-end championship was entrusted to the Russian city of Novosibirsk, but after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this right was taken away and the organization of the championship was entrusted to Canada for the third time of line. The previous two championships were held in Edmonton.
The World U20 Elite Championship will take place from December 26 to January 5 in the Canadian cities of Halifax and Moncton. Artis Ābolas is supported by coaches Kārlis Zirnis, Artūrs Āboliņš, goalkeeping coach Edgars Masalskis, video coach Pēteris Groms and fitness coach Mārtiņš Klucis.
The captain of the Latvian national team at the world championship is Gustavs Ozoliņš, and the assistants are Martins Laviņš and Darel Dukurs. Dāvis Borozinskis was deducted from selection as last. The Latvian national team has 25 players: 20 outfield players and three goalkeepers can register for the tournament, but two more hockey players can be substitutes.
The composition of the Latvian U20 national team at the junior world championship:
Goalkeepers: Patriks Bērzins (Danbury “Hat Tricks”, NAHL), Linards Lipskis (Bismark “Bobcats”, NAHL), Kārlis Mežsargs (Kārni “Tri-City Storm”, USHL);
Defenders: Nik Fenenko (Bekomo “Drakkar”, QMJHL), Bogdan Hodas (Medisinheta “Tigers”, WHL), Rihard Simanovic (Amarillo “Wranglers”, NAHL), Dario Mackiewicz (“Mogo”/LSPA), Elvis Laškov (Ferlaha NHA , Austria), Edgars Kazaks, Silvers Lazarenoks (both – “Zemgale”/LLU), Gustavs Ozoliņš (Minnesota “Wilderness”, NAHL);
Forwards: Rogers Bukarts (Zurich “Lions”, Switzerland), Emīls Veckaktiņš, Roberts Cjunskis (both – “Lugano”, Switzerland), Martins Laviņš (Cedar Rapids “RoughRiders”, USHL), Kristians Samītis (Philadelphia “Rebels”, NAHL) , Darels Dukurs (Langnavas “Tigers”, Switzerland), Rainers Dārziņš (Šlefteo AIK, Sweden), Įrts Silkalns (Fargo “Force”, USHL), Rainers Rullers, Pēteris Purmalis (both – “Zemgale”/LLU), Dans Ločmelis ( “ Luleå, Sweden), Sandis Vilmanis (Sarnia Sting, OHL), Klaavs Weinberg (Lincoln Stars, USHL), Henri Ravinskis (Blanville/Boisbriand Armanda, QMJHL).
