The game will start at 22.30 Latvian time, and it will be broadcast live by TV6 channel.
The young Latvian hockey players made one of the biggest surprises in the tournament’s history in the first game on Friday, defeating Canada 3:2 in the shootout. The Americans played their first game on Thursday when they beat Germany 10-4.
In subgroup A, Canada has four points in two games, USA and Finland have three points each in one and two matches, Latvia has two points in the only game, but Germany has remained scoreless in both duels. In Group B, Sweden is the leader with six points in two matches, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have three points in one and two matches, while Kazakhstan and Switzerland are fighting without points, having played one and two matches respectively.
Latvia has not been able to win the USA in the junior world championships, including losing 2:7 in the quarter-finals of the previous championship.
In the continuation of the tournament, Latvian hockey players will play against their German peers on December 30 at 22:30, and in the last match of the subgroup on December 31 at 21:30, they will compete against the Finnish national team.
The top four teams in each group will advance to the quarter-finals, while the fifth-placed teams will play one game to stay in the elite group.
Before the tournament, the Latvian U-20 national team coached by Artas Ābolas played two test matches in Canada, where they lost to their peers from the Czech Republic and Switzerland with an identical score of 1:5.
Latvian U-20 national team:
goalkeepers – Linards Feldbergs (Sherbruk “Phoenix”, QMJHL), Aksels Ozols (Jelgava “Zemgale”/LBTU), Jānis Fecers (Herninga “Blue Fox”, Denmark);
defenders – Viktors Kurbaka (“Ocelari” of Tršinec, Czech Republic), Oskars Briedis (“Zemgale” of Jelgava/LBTU), Darel Uljanskis (Šellefteo AIK, Sweden), Pēteris Bulans (Šikutimi “Sgueneens”, QMJHL), Harijs Cjunskis (Rouen-Noranda “Huskies”, QMJHL), Krišjānis Sārts (St. Cloud “Norsemen”), NAHL), Emil Skeltiņš (Amarillo “Wranglers”, NAHL), Krists Retenais (Aberdeen “Wings”, NAHL);
forwards – David Livšić (Rovaniemi “RoKi”, Finland), Erik Mateiko (St. John’s “Sea Dogs”, QMJHL), Valdis Dommers (Hradeckrálovas “Mountfield”, Czech Republic), Tom Mott (Jelgava “Zemgale”/LBTU), Raul Ozollapa ( Pršerova “Zubr”, Czech Republic), Olivers Mūrnieks (Sucity “Musketeers”, USHL), Bruno Osmanis, Markus Sieradzkis (both – Umeå “Bjorkloven”, Sweden), Rudolfs Bērzkalns (Maskigona “Lumberjacks”, USHL), Daniels Serkin (Bern, Switzerland), Antons Macijewskis, Dmitrijs Dilevka (both – Watertown “Shamrocks”, NAHL), Martins Klaucans (St. Cloud “Norsemen”), Roberts Naudiņš (“Shattuck St.Mary’s”, USHS-Prep).