It has already been reported that on Monday, Latvia won 4:3 (0:1, 1:1, 2:1, 1:0) in extra time against their peers from Germany, securing a place in the quarterfinals.
“This was a game in which we learned a lot, but with a very happy ending,” emphasized the coach.
He emphasizes that it was not for nothing that the coach constantly reminded him of the need for concentration.
“Even though you have to play 60 minutes, every episode is hyper important,” emphasized the coach.
“We knew what had to be done, but in the first shift we conceded a goal in a standard situation. In the second lost goal, there was a bad decision, a rejection and a goal,” explains Abols, emphasizing that despite several failures in this match, the end of the game was happy.
He reminds that in order to win the important games, leaders are needed and they were in the team on Monday.
“All the goals were scored by those from whom we expected them,” says Abols, at the same time emphasizing that for even greater victories, it is necessary for all those on the bench to be fully ready for the game.
“Fortunately, the second goal was scored, because before that the bench was not like a team that believes that they will do it,” says the coach.
He reminded that this team is the youngest in the championship and the youngest that Latvia has had in the U-20 championships, but it has made it to the quarterfinals. And Abols hopes that the Latvian national anthem will be played in honor of the winners at least once more during the championship.
Āriks Mateiko scored two goals for Latvia, but Bruno Osmanis and Olivers Mūrnieks, who also assisted in the first two goals in regular time, beat the opponent’s goalkeeper. Osmanis was recognized as the best player in the Latvian national team.
In the third game in a row, the Latvian goal was guarded by Linards Feldbergs, who managed 36 out of 39 opponents’ shots.
The leaders of Group A with seven points in three matches are the Americans, the Canadian team also has seven points, the Finns have won five points, the Latvians have four points, and Germany has one point in four games.
On Friday, the young hockey players of Latvia caused one of the biggest surprises in the history of the tournament, defeating Canada 3:2 in the shootout, but in the second match they recognized the superiority of the USA team 1:5.
Germany started the tournament with a defeat against the Americans (4:10), lost 1:3 to Finland and 0:3 to the Canadians.
In last year’s championship, the Latvian national team defeated their peers from Germany with 6:2, reaching the quarterfinals.
Latvian ice hockey players will compete against the Finnish national team in the last match of the subgroup on December 31 at 9:30 p.m.
The top four teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals, 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.
Latvia 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).