Latvia’s run halted by Canada, Germany shocks USA
A third period fightback lifted Canada to victory over Latvia and sends Andre Tourigny’s team to its fourth World Championship final in a row. However, the Latvians pushed the Canadians all the way, twice leading in a hard-fought battle in Tampere.
Few outside of the Baltic state gave Harijs Vitolins’s team much chance here. After all, just 15 days ago Canada won 6-0 in the group stage meeting between the two. But after absorbing some early pressure, Latvia forced the breakthrough. Kristaps Zile thumped in a point shot, Rihards Bukarts tested Samuel Montembeault on the rebound then Dans Locmelis put the puck in the net. Latvia managed to do what defending champion Finland could not two days earlier, and got in front of Canada. The crowd of travelling Latvian fans and newly-recruited Finnish followers went wild.
That lead endured until the end of the first period, and might even have been extended. Late in the session Miks Indrasis forced a turnover in the Canadian zone and twice tested Montembeault but could not find the net.
In the middle frame Canada raised its game. Arturs Silovs pulled off some big saves, the post denied Adam Fantilli and when Samuel Blais tied the game in the 37th minute felt like the end of Latvia’s fairytale.
However, within a minute it was 2-1 Latvia. Rudolfs Balcers took matters into his own hands, winning the puck in center ice and skating around MacKenzie Weegar before wiring a wrister over Montembeault’s glove.
Silovs, so impressive in this tournament, saw his fortunes evaporate 45 seconds into the final frame when Jack Quinn’s shot from a negative angle dinged off his helmet and into the net, tying the game once more. Now Canada had the momentum and Fantilli produced some wonderful stick-handling to on the way to a game-winning goal. An empty-net tally wrapped it up, and sent Canada to the final.
While many nations look on the bronze medal game as an unwelcome extra following a painful loss, Latvia is eager to grab its first medal when it plays team USA on Sunday.
“We came to Tampere trying to win two games,” said defenseman Karlis Cukste. “Now we can only win one game. So we're focused on tomorrow.”
Cukste also paid tribute to the spirit that Vitolins’ team displayed through the competition.
“We try to unite our nation in the only way that we really can,” he added. “And we try to represent our country the way the Latvian people think we should represent the country. We block every shot and play with our hearts. I think that just represents the culture we have.”
