2024-05-11 17:32:46
Daugavins stood out in the Latvian national team with two scored goals, but Roberts Mamčics, Rodrigo Ābols and Rihards Bukarts each beat the opponents. Krzysztof Maciasz scored two goals for the Polish national team and Kamil Valega and Mateusz Brik added one.
Daugavins also had one assist in this game. Abol, who assisted in the winning goal, was recognized as the best player in the national team.
Elvis Merzlikin saved 18 shots from the opposing hockey players, while John Murray managed 32 shots in the goal of the Polish national team.
The first dangerous shot on the goal was made by the Poles in the second minute of the match, but in the continuation, the game went almost without pauses, and Latvian hockey players had the upper hand. In the 13th minute of the game, Rodrigo Ābols went to the bench for tripping, and one of the teams had the opportunity to play in the majority for the first time in the match.
In it, the opponents managed to make a dangerous shot from a close distance, only Elvi Merzlikin saved the Latvians from being chased. However, in the same lineups, in the 16th minute of the match, after Maciaš shot towards the goal, the puck ricocheted from Markus Komulas and Rihards Bukart to Merzlikin between the defenders – 1:0 for the Polish national team.
At the beginning of the second third, the Latvian national team controlled the opponent’s defense zone and, when Mamčić joined the attack, the Latvian defender made an unimpeded shot after a pass from Raivjas Ansons – 1:1 in the 23rd minute. A little later, Kaspars Daugavins tried to slide the puck into the goal, but it hit the post.
Six minutes after the goal scored by the Latvian national team, the Poles returned to the lead. After Valega’s shot, Merzlikin hit the puck in front and it went into the goal from Mamčić’s skate. In the middle of the period, after a foul by Mārtiņš Dzierkals, the Poles had the opportunity to play in the majority for the second time in the match, but this time they did not realize their opportunity either.
The Latvian national team earned its first majority less than six minutes before going into the break. Although there were opportunities, the advantage of one player was not used, as were the thirds in the last 83 seconds, which the Latvians also spent in the majority.
At the beginning of the third period, Oskars Batnia received a two-minute penalty for pushing him in the back, but playing in the minority did not prevent the Latvians from scoring. In the third minute of the third period, the Latvian ice hockey players skated in a counter attack against two opponents and Ābols sent the puck into the net after Daugavins’ pass – 2:2.
In the eighth minute, during the Polish team’s counterattack, the puck ricocheted to Macias, who easily regained the lead for the Polish team. After five minutes, the puck entered the second goal in the hustle and bustle, at first the referees did not count the goal, but after the request of the coaches and watching the replay, they found that the puck reached the goal according to the rules. Daugavins scored 3:3 for the Latvian national team.
Five minutes and six seconds before the end of regular time, the Latvian hockey players kept the puck in the opponent’s defensive zone and Rihards Bukarts selflessly beat the Poles after a pass from his brother Robert, making it 4:3. True, a minute and a half later, after Brik’s shot, the puck from Kristaps Zīle went into the Latvian goal – 4:4.
31 seconds before the final whistle, Zile tripped the opponent, giving the Poles the opportunity to play in the majority. The regular time ended in a draw and the fight continued in extra time, where Merzļikin saved the Latvian national team from conceding a goal. In another episode, the opponents hit the goalpost with the puck, but Daugavins hit the crossbar.
However, in the fourth minute of extra time, Daugavins won the victory for the Latvians after Ābol’s pass.
After that, on May 12, Latvia will meet with France, on May 14 – with Kazakhstan, on May 15 – with Germany, on May 18 – with Sweden, on May 19 – with Slovakia, and in the final group game on May 21, the Latvians will play against USA hockey players , who were beaten last year in the fight for bronze awards.
On the other hand, the home team Czechs, last year’s champions Canada, Finland, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Austria and Great Britain will play in subgroup A in Prague.
The 16 teams participating in the tournament are divided into two groups, with eight teams each, which guarantees seven games for each team. The top four teams in each group will continue the medal fight in the quarter-finals, while the weaker teams in both groups will leave the stronger division, and next year will be replaced by Hungary and Slovenia in the top 16.
Last year, the Canadians triumphed in the world championships, beating Germany in the decisive match, while Latvia won the bronze medals, defeating the USA national team in overtime.
This year, the world championship will take place in the Czech cities of Prague and Ostrava from May 10 to 26.
2024-05-11 17:32:46