Latvia's hockey players achieved their first victory at the Ice Hockey World Championship, defeating the strong German team with a score of 2:0.
According to the IIHF national team rankings compiled before the 2026 World Championship, Germany was in 7th place, while Latvia was in 9th. However, points are awarded based on performance, not rankings.
With 5 minutes left in the match, the Germans pulled their goalkeeper. Balcers managed to score into the empty net.
