Latvia does not hold the lead twice, but achieves a historic first victory over the Czech Republic / Diena

Rihards Bukarts, Mārtiņš Dzierkals, Oskars Cibulskis and Oskars Batņa scored goals for Latvia, while David Nemečeks, Dominiks Kubāliks and Michals Kempnys stood out for the Czech Republic.

Latvia started the game more actively, spending more time in attack and playing carefully in defense. Team captain Kaspars Daugaviņš had a shot, but Rodrigo Ābols missed the empty corner of the goal.

On the other hand, the first dangerous Czech shot hit the target. Defender Davids Nemeček took a break, approached the goal from the blue line on the left side and hit the left corner of the goal from the throw circle, as goalkeeper Artūrs Šilov was covered and did not see the shot.

In the middle of the period, Mārtiņas Dzierkals was pushed by the Czech defender against goalkeeper Šimons Hrubec, but a two-minute penalty was awarded to Dzierkals. They managed to withstand the minority by repeatedly blocking the puck, and the Czech hockey players did not manage to create a real dangerous moment.

However, after Daugavinas’ pass, Dzierkals returned to the field and almost ended up alone with the Czech goalkeeper.

In the third period, the ratio of shots on goal was 13:4 in favor of Latvian hockey players.

Latvia took the lead in 62 seconds at the beginning of the second period. Rihards Bukarts equalized the score in the 23rd minute. After a throw-in won by Andras Džeriņš, defender Oskars Cibulskis played coolly at the right edge and played back to the blue line for Bukarts, who shot at the goal from the very corner of the zone, hitting the lower left corner. Hrubec was covered.

After 62 seconds, in a counterattack, Ralfs Freibergs put Dzierkala in a good position with a pass from the goal line of the Latvian national team on the right side of the field, who showed that he would pass to the left, but sent the puck into the near upper corner of the goal – 2:1. A productive pass was also credited to Rudolph Balcer.

In the 31st minute, the Czech Republic equalized. Jānis Jakas, throwing the puck out of the zone, managed to get the puck from the goal only to the blue line, and after a pass from defender Tomáš Dvoržak, Roman Červenka made a pass to the right in front of the goal, where Kubālik was alone, sending the puck between the legs of Šilov.

Twice Latvia earned the majority in this period, in the second of them Mikas Indraši hit the post from the outside, but failed to score.

On the other hand, during the rejection of Rihards Bukarts, first Šilov saved a shot from a close distance with the foot guard, but after the shot outside the zone, the puck hit Džeriņas in the head, as the center forward went to the dressing room.

In the 46th minute, Latvia took the lead for the second time in the game, and again it was achieved after winning a shot and a long shot from the blue line. Denis Smirnov won the throw on the left side, Tom Anderson won the puck and played it back to Cibulski, who shot at the goal. The puck hit the defender’s leg and kicked it into the goal – 3:2.

As the Czechs tried to equalize the result, the fight mostly took place in the Latvian team’s zone, and at the end of the 57th minute, defender Michals Kempnijs equalized for the Czech Republic, who joined the attack, sending the puck into the empty goal of the Latvian team after a pass from Červenka.

In overtime, several dangerous shots were saved by Šilovs, but Indrašis responded to the Czech efforts with a dangerous shot after Daugavins’ pass.

The winning goal was scored 44 seconds before the end of extra time by Oskars Batņa, who sent the puck into the goal when Hrubecs had saved Jak’s shot after Latvia’s quick attack.

Cibulskis was recognized as the best player in the Latvian national team, who became the most productive hockey player in the Latvian national team with two (1+1) points, while Šilov saved 22 shots in the goal.

Kubalik (1+1) and Červenka (0+2) scored two points for the Czech Republic, while Hrubec saved 31 shots.

It has already been reported that in the first game of the day in Riga, Canada defeated Slovakia 2:1 in the shootout.

In Group B, Canada has eight points in three games, the Czech Republic has seven, Switzerland has six points in two games, and Slovakia has four points in three games. Kazakhstan has two points in two games, and Latvia in three, Norway has one point in two games, but Slovenia has no points.

In Tampere, in Group A, Germany lost 2:3 to the USA, and Finland lost to Sweden 1:2 in the shootout.

In Group A, USA won nine points in three matches, Sweden got eight points, Denmark has five points in two matches, Finland has four points in three matches, France has collected three points in two matches, Austria has one point in two duels, while Germany has three matches and Hungary two are without points so far.

The 16 teams participating in the tournament are divided into two groups, with eight teams each, which guarantees seven games for each team. The top four teams in each sub-group will continue the fight for medals in the quarter-finals, while the weaker teams from both groups will leave the stronger division, and next year Poland and Great Britain will be among the top 16 instead.

Last year, the Finns won the world championships, beating Canada in the decisive match.

The World Championship, which is jointly hosted by the Finnish city of Tampere and Riga, will take place from May 12 to 28.