OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Eriks Mateiko scored the lone goal of a shootout in the eighth round to give Latvia a 3-2 victory over Canada on Friday night in the world junior hockey championship.
Mateiko beat Jack Ivankovic to the blocker side to end the tiebreaker after the first 15 shooters failed to score.
“We found a way,” coach Artis Abols said after Latvia’s third victory in 38 games in the tournament. “In one hockey game, everything is possible.”
Mateiko and Peteris Bulans scored late power-play goals in the Group A game at Canadian Tire Centre. Mateiko tied it at 1 with 6:42 left and Bulans evened it at 2 with 2:29 to go.
“They battled,” Canadian coach Dave Cameron. “Credit to them.”
Linards Feldbergs stopped 55 shots for Latvia in its tournament opener.
“Crazy,” Feldbergs said. “Can’t believe what we did. I’m still in shock.”
Calum Ritchie and Jett Luchanko scored for Canada. Ivankovic made 24 saves.
Canada took a penalty for too many men on the ice in 3-on-3 overtime, but survived that short-handed situation to force the shootout.
“Devastating,” Canadian defenseman Tanner Molendyk said. “An eye-opener. It’s not one you want to lose, not one you see yourself losing.”
Ivankovic became the third 17-year-old goaltender to play for Canada at the under-20 tournament, and the first to start a game since Jimmy Waite in 1987.
In the other group A game, Finland beat Germany 3-1. Emil Pieniniemi, Arttu Alasiurua and Jesse Kiiskinen scored and Petteri Rimpinen made 31 saves to help Finland rebound from an opening 4-0 loss to Canada on Thursday night.
The defending champion United States opened Group A play Thursday night with a 10-4 victory over Germany. The Americans will face Latvia on Saturday.
In Group B at TD Place, Sweden routed Kazakhstan 8-1, and Slovakia edged Switzerland 2-1.
Anton Wahlberg scored one of Sweden’s five-period goals and had another in the second.
Victor Eklund, David Edstrom, Linus Eriksson, Felix Nilsson, Oskar Vuollet and David Granberg also scored and Marcus Gidlof made 15 saves for Sweden, coming off a 5-2 victory over Slovakia on Thursday in the its opener.
Jan Chovan broke a third-period tie for Slovakia.
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The Associated Press
