Latvian national hockey team scored twice while short-handed but lost to Slovakia 0 10

Goals for the Latvian team were scored by Rudolfs Balcers and Philips Buncis.

The best player of the Latvian national team was recognized as defender Roberts Mamčics.

In the eighth minute of the match, Kristians Pospisil scored a penalty shot, outplaying Gustavs Davis Grigals. In the middle of the period, Balcers, after a pass from Denis Smirnov, went one-on-one with the goalkeeper while short-handed and equalized the score to 1:1, but 14 seconds before the break, František Hajdóš scored from the blue line, putting Slovakia ahead again.

In the ninth minute of the second period, Servaks Petrovskis increased Slovakia's lead to 3:1, sending the puck into the unprotected corner of the net, and eight minutes later, Adam Liška successfully played on the rebound and solidified the hosts' lead. Less than two minutes before the end of the period, Gleb Prokhorenkov, while short-handed, approached the goal, hit the puck off the goalkeeper, after which it bounced to Buncis, who reduced the deficit to 2:4.

In the third period, the Latvian national team was defended by Mareks Mitens, who did not concede any goals. A minute and a half before the end of regulation time, Aurels Naush sent the puck into the empty net.

On Saturday, in the first friendly match against Slovakia, Latvia won with a score of 5:1. Oskars Lapinskis scored a double, while Denis Smirnovs, Rudolfs Balcers, and Patriks Zabuss also scored one goal each.

The Latvian national team will complete the preparatory stage with matches on May 6 and 7, when they will play at home against the Norwegian national team.

The World Ice Hockey Championship will take place from May 15 to 31 in Zurich and Fribourg (Switzerland).