The Latvian hockey team managed to stop the opponent's pressure at the beginning of the game against Germany, said Latvian team forward Renars Krastenbergs in a conversation with the LETA agency. The toughest moments in the match against Germany for the Latvian team were the last minutes when they had to defend for several minutes in a row, added national team forward Eduards Tralmaks.
It has already been reported that on Saturday, in the second round of the hockey tournament at the Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, the Latvians defeated Germany with a score of 4:3. One of the goals for the Latvian team was scored by Krastenbergs, who also found the net with a precise shot in the game against the USA.
Krastenbergs: At the Start We Doused Their Pressure
"We did a good job, at the beginning we doused their pressure and played our hockey for 60 minutes," noted the forward.
"We knew who was playing for the German national team, we prepared to try to stop them. Of course, our goalkeeper [Arturs Shilovs] was magnificent, he also pulled the game through. Great team work," continued the hockey player.
Krastenbergs mentioned that one of the main tasks in the match against Germany was to avoid being caught on counterattacks. "The opponents had skilled NHL stars, so we had to always keep our heads up and be ready," he added.
The Latvian forward noted that in the second period, the Latvians managed to seize the initiative, which helped change the course of the game and take the lead.
"They started a bit better than us, we doused their pressure and took advantage of the opportunities they gave us," emphasized Krastenbergs.
On Sunday, in the final match of Group C, the Latvian team will face Denmark.
"We need to recover as quickly as possible because tomorrow will also be a tough game. We won, but now the main thing is to discuss everything we can, and then forget about it, because there will be a new day and a new game," said Krastenbergs.
Tralmaks: The End of the Match Was the Toughest
The toughest moments in the match against Germany for the Latvian team were the last minutes when they had to defend for several minutes in a row, said national team forward Eduards Tralmaks in a conversation with the LETA agency.
"Great emotions. We needed to beat this opponent, and we did it," said Tralmaks.
"The end of the match was the toughest. At the very end, we started to play a bit uncertainly again, but the opponent was at an NHL level. You can't 'let off the gas', you can only 'press on the gas'. I think the start and the very end were the hardest, but we stood firm, and everything is fine," he explained.
Several players from the National Hockey League (NHL) played for the German team, who have been performing well for their clubs this season, but Tralmaks emphasized that the Latvian hockey players were at the level of their opponents.
"Except for the first goal they scored, which caused a bit of uncertainty, but we gathered ourselves immediately. We managed to regroup, and in the end, we really stepped it up," he added.
About 11 and a half minutes before the end of regulation time, Tralmaks, after a pass from Girgensons along the right flank, broke towards the goal and with a precise shot into the far upper corner made the score 3:2, scoring the winning goal.
"Firstly, this is the first goal at the Olympics, and along with the victory — the emotions are doubled. So many Latvian fans. To do this in front of Latvian fans and at the Olympics is an honor, and I am very happy," said the forward.
On Sunday, in the final match of Group C, the Latvian team will play against Denmark. The match will start at 20:10 Latvian time.
The Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo will last until February 22.
