The head coach of the Latvian youth ice hockey team, Artis Abols, after the loss in the quarterfinals of the World Championship to Sweden, admitted that he expected more and feels disappointment primarily in himself, reports tv3.lv.
The Latvian youth national team lost to Sweden 3:6 in the quarterfinals of the World Championship on Friday in St. Paul, USA.
"We started the game very poorly — we conceded a goal just ten seconds in. In the next shift, Rudolf Berzkalns blocked a shot, and the puck hit his glove. We thought he would be able to continue playing, but there might be a fracture — we lost him as well," Abols said.
The coach noted that the power play worked, and they managed to score a goal: "If we talk specifically about this game, it is disappointment. I expected more. The disappointment is in myself. I won't go into details, but I didn't think that during the preparation period something would break that broke.
I could complain here for a long time that we lack skill, speed, and some other things, but this is a different team — not as capable.
Although in one game we showed that we can compete with Canada, then other problems emerged. I said all of this in the locker room, but I don't think it needs to be brought to the public," Abols stated.
The head coach also acknowledged that the minimum was achieved at the World Championship.
"We took a point from Canada, and that point will ensure we repeat our best result — seventh place. The main thing after this tournament is to understand that we cannot be satisfied with little.
This needs to be instilled — maybe I don't play in such a league, I am slower and less technical, but I want more. If we don't want more, we will never become something greater," Abols added.
The Latvian youth national team has been competing in the top division for the fifth consecutive year.
In three of the previous four tournaments, the Latvian juniors reached the quarterfinals, and once (in 2023) they fought to maintain their place in the elite.
