The Latvian national ice hockey team suffered its second defeat on Saturday at the friendly tournament "Cup of Germany," which is taking place in Landshut, LETA reports.
In the second match of the tournament, the Latvian hockey players lost to the Slovakian team with a score of 1:4 (0:2, 0:1, 1:1).
The only goal for the Latvian team was scored by Denis Smirnov. In goal for Latvia in this match was Gustav Davis Grigals.
Already in the third minute of the match, the Slovaks took the lead after a goal by Peter Ceglarik, and eight minutes later, Michal Ivan doubled the advantage. In the second period, shortly after the end of Miks Indrasis's penalty, Matous Sukel increased the score to 3:0 in favor of Slovakia.
In the third period, less than two minutes in, Sukel scored another goal against Grigals, but just two and a half minutes later, Renars Krastenbergs passed from the corner to the crease, and Smirnov opened the scoring for the Latvian team from close range.
On Thursday, in the first match of the tournament, the Latvians also lost 1:4 to the German team, while Slovakia defeated Austria 6:2.
On Sunday at 12:00, the Latvian team will conclude the tournament with a match against Austria.
The head coach of the team, Harijs Vitolins, is assisted in the tournament by coaches Lauris Darzins, Sandis Ozolins, Raimonds Vilkoits, and Petteri Nummelin, goaltending coach Arturs Irbe, and fitness coach Eriks Visockis.
The Latvian national team has previously participated in this tournament only once — in 2020, when it became the winner. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, only three teams participated in the tournament at that time: the Latvian national team, the German national team, and the German U23 team.
