Latvia stuns Sweden, Canada dethrones the Finns
Latvia reached its first ever World Championship semi-final after a stunning win over Sweden. Two days after Arena Riga partied into the night as the co-host secured a playoff spot in dramatic style, there was even greater jubilation after a 3-1 victory over the Tre Kronor set up a clash with Canada in the final four.
It’s already Latvia’s best ever World Championship performance, secured with only a second competitive victory over Sweden. Miks Indrasis, a veteran of many years’ KHL play, grabbed the game-winner on 45:55 with a perfectly-placed shot over Lars Johansson’s shoulder to converted a two-on-two rush and send the home crowds into raptures. That goal snapped a 1-1 tie, with Timothy Liljegren cancelling out Latvia’s opener from Dans Locmelis.
The Baltic nation also had to battle through a major penalty when Martins Dzierkals was ejected from the game late in the middle frame. But once back at full strength, Indrasis grabbed the vital goal and Janis Jaks sealed the verdict with a third late on.
Visibly emotional captain Kaspars Daugavins, who came out of international retirement to play this tournament, said: “We’re just enjoying the emotions here. There’s no greater gift to give these fans who’ve supported us for years. Achieving a semi-final spot is something to be so thankful for.”
Latvian goalie Arturs Silovs stopped 40 shots on the night and Daugavins paid tribute to the last line of defense. “We know he’s our savior,” the forward said. “We’re jumping in front of pucks, but we know that he’s there to save us if we make a mistake.
“He’s carrying this team.”
That wasn’t the only upset in Riga. In the early game, Germany got the better of Switzerland. The Swiss topped Group B in style, but struggled to get to grips with a German team that rallied from three losses in its first three games to claim fourth place in its final group stage action.
There was little to choose between the teams in the first period, but Max Kastner’s goal gave Germany a slender lead. Switzerland tied it up seconds into the middle frame and had a great chance to take control when Moritz Seider was ejected from the game for boarding. Seider, one of Germany’s top defensemen, has played a big role in his team’s progress. However, in his absence his colleague killed the penalty before regaining the lead on J.J. Peterka’s fifth of the tournament. Late in the period, Nico Sturm added a short-handed goal to give the Germans a two-goal cushion they would never relinquish.
USA and Canada on top in Tampere
In Tampere, the action started with team USA blanking the Czechs. The Americans allowed just 15 shots on Casey DeSmith’s net in a 3-0 success. That left goalscorer Cutter Gauthier, one of seven college players on the team, saluting his defense’s prowess.
“They’re a good team,” he said of the Czechs. “We thought they’re one of the better teams we’ve played so far. To keep them down to only 15 shots is great for us.”
For the Czech Republic, which will host next year’s tournament, both the defeat and the performance were a huge disappointment. Michal Kempny, who won the Stanley Cup with Alexander Ovechkin’s Capitals in 2018, summed up the difference between the teams: “We had a problem holding on to the puck in the O zone, winning our battles,” he said. “They skated faster, they were quicker with the puck, and they outshot us. It’s a tough way to end.”
Then in the late game, Canada avenged last year’s defeat in the gold medal game, ousting Finland with a 4-1 scoreline. Canadian goalie Sam Martembeault was the hero, as Teemu Hartikainen acknowledged.
“He was standing on his head,” the former Salavat Yulaev man said. “We had some really good chances but he made some really big saves for them. If we could get one or two goals on those chances in the second period, we would be much more confident that we could take over the game. But it was 0-2 going into the third, then they score early and it’s a long way back.”
