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Latvia stuns Canada with shootout win at World Junior Hockey Championship

Latvia scores twice on power play in third period, lone goal of shootout to take 3-2 win in stunning upset
Randy Palmer
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Latvia celebrates after their shootout win over Canada on Friday night at the World Junior Hockey Championship.IIHF.com

OTTAWA -- It was supposed to be a traditional easy win against an overmatched opponent for Team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship on Friday night in Ottawa.

Instead, it turned into the first major upset of the tournament.

Team Latvia took advantage of a remarkably undisciplined performance from the host team and would go on to a 3-2 shootout victory for their first win over Canada in World Juniors history.

The single point sees Canada leading Group A with a 1-0-0-1 record while Latvia is in fourth with two points thanks to the win in their opening game of the event.

There were ominous signs for the heavy favourites right from the get-go as despite carrying the play much of the first period, Canada would be unable to score on Latvia goaltender Linards Feldbergs.

Canada did get on the board first, though, thanks to a shorthanded goal from Jett Luchanko (OHL Guelph) with 3:28 gone in the second period.

Instead of opening the floodgate, the goal seemed to harden Feldbergs’ resolve, as he’d proceed to stymie Canada the rest of the period and deep into the third despite the majority of play being in Latvia’s zone -- with one 20-minute span seeing Canada outshooting Latvia 21-1.

Eriks Mateiko rewarded his goaltender with the tying goal with 6:42 remaining in regulation, taking advantage of an elbowing penalty to Andrew Gibson (OHL Sault Ste. Marie) to score on the power play.

A boarding minor to Martin Klaucans moments after the goal sent Canada to a power play of their own, and Calum Ritchie (OHL Oshawa) would score on a point shot through traffic to restore the lead only 1:27 after the tying goal.

Two minutes after that marker, Ethan Gauthier (QMJHL Drummondville) was hit with a hooking minor, and that would give Latvia the opportunity they needed to force overtime.

Peteris Bulans would do the honours, putting a shot from the point on net and past Canada goaltender Jack Ivankovic (OHL Brampton) to tie the game 2-2 with 2:29 remaining.

The rest of regulation would solve nothing, and the two teams would play a five-minute three-on-three overtime.

There, Saskatoon product and Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Brayden Yager nearly ended it on the first shift, but Canada’s captain would have his chance at the loose puck with an open net knocked away by a defender at the last second.

Each team had a couple of chances as OT progressed until a two-man-men penalty put Latvia on the power play for the final 44 seconds, and they’d nearly score twice before time expired.

The shootout turned into a showcase for Feldbergs and Ivankovic, with the duo not allowing a goal through seven rounds of shooters. Feldbergs would get a pair of stops against Saskatoon’s Berkly Catton (WHL Spokane) -- including his eighth and final save -- and also stopped Yager on Canada’s seventh attempt.

Mateiko would then end things on Latvia’s eighth shot, and the undergods had the massive upset.

Outside of Mateiko’s offensive heroics, Feldbergs was the undeniable hero, stopping 55 shots through regulation and overtime and all eight Canada shooters. Ivankovic capped his night with 24 saves.

Canada now has Saturday off and returns to action on Sunday when they take on Germany, with puck drop at 6:30 p.m. Saskatchewan time.

Be sure to check out www.iihf.com for stats and more information from the World Junior Hockey Championship.

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