Latvian Under-20 ice hockey players defeat Germany and remain hopeful of reaching the World Cup quarter-finals

Slovakia leads Group B with nine points from three matches, the USA has eight points, the Czech Republic has four points, Switzerland has won three points, while Norway has remained without points in four matches and will fight for a place in the elite division.

The top four teams will advance to the quarterfinals, while the fifth will play a match to remain among the elite.

The captain of the Latvian national team in this championship is Dans Ločmelis, who together with the Latvian adult national team won the bronze medal at the world championships this summer.

Before the tournament, young Latvian hockey players played two test matches in Sweden, where they lost 3:4 to the Czech Republic and defeated Norway 6:2.

The Latvian Under-20 national team is made up of three goalkeepers, seven defenders and 13 forwards. The rules of the tournament provide that an injured player, whose injury no longer allows him to participate in the competition, can be replaced by another hockey player.

The Latvian team went to Sweden with 26 hockey players. Before the start of the tournament, the national team was reduced to 25 players, minus one of the attackers, Otto Polyakov, and two players – defender Elvi Laškova and attacker Krister Anson – remained in reserve.

This year, players born in 2004 and younger are eligible to participate in the world championship.

The main competition will take place in Gothenburg from 26 December to 5 January.

Kārlis Zirnis, Artūrs Āboliņš and Edgars Masalskis are assisting Artis Ābolas in his work with the U-20 hockey team this season.

The composition of the Latvian Under-20 men’s hockey team at the world junior championship:

goalkeepers – Dave Rolov (“Lone Star Brahmas”, NAHL), Aksel Ozols (Charlotte Town “Islanders”, QMJHL), Linards Feldberg (“HS Riga”);

defenders – Niks Fenenko (Bēkomo “Drakkar”, QMJHL), Renarts Bērzins (“Mogo”/LSPA), Pēteris Bulāns (Šikutimi “Sagueneens”, QMJHL), Viktors Kurbaka (Tršinecs “Ocelarži”, Czech Republic), Kristers Urbanović (Oulu ” Karpat”, Finland), Ingus Lochmelis (Fairbanks “Ice Dogs”, NAHL), Darel Ulianskis (Stockholm AIK, Sweden);

forwards – Dan Lochmelis (University of Massachusetts, NCAA), Rainers Ruller (Madison “Capitols”, USHL), Kristofers Krūmiņš (New Jersey “Hitmen”, NAHL), Rogers Bukarts (Wenachie “Wild”, WHL), Rainers Dārziņš (Slefteo AIK, Sweden), Sandis Vilmanis (Sarnia “Sting”, OHL), Emīls Veckaktiņš (“Lugano”, Switzerland), Dāvis Borozinskis (Demoines “Bucaneers”, USHL), Kevin Strādnieks, Rinald Vutkevičs (both – “Zemgale”/LLU ), Eric Mateiko (St. John’s Sea Dogs, QMJHL), Tom Mott (Brno Kometa, Czech Republic), Raul Ozollapa (Zubr Pršerova, Czech Republic).

2023-12-30 21:01:22
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