Latvian national team forward Mārtiņš Dzierkals stated after the victory over the USA that the team understood the significance of this match for the fight for a quarterfinal spot. According to him, after the previous defeat, the hockey players seriously discussed what needed to change in their game.
After the Latvian national team's victory over the USA with a score of 4:2, forward Mārtiņš Dzierkals admitted that the team viewed this match as one of the decisive ones in the tournament.
"Of course, this is a very big victory. Even before the match, we knew that we were facing a very important game," said the hockey player after the match.
According to Dzierkals, from the very first minutes, it was clear that the Latvian team took to the ice with a completely different mindset after the painful defeat to Finland.
"From the very beginning of the match, it was felt that we had prepared well and were ready to put up a serious fight and win," noted the forward.
The forward shared that after the previous setback, the players seriously discussed the situation within the team and concluded that they needed to change their approach to the game.
"It was important to change something," emphasized Dzierkals.
He stated that Latvia started playing more aggressively and actively pushing forward from the first shifts, which ultimately brought results.
The victory over the USA became one of the most significant for the Latvian national team in the current World Championship. The team not only earned crucial points but also returned to the fight for a quarterfinal spot.
However, the hockey players themselves try not to succumb to emotions and are already thinking about the upcoming matches.
"No one here has an easy stroll," said Dzierkals, commenting on the upcoming games against Great Britain and Hungary.
The forward specifically noted that even teams from the lower part of the table are showing quality hockey in the tournament.
"The next two games are even more important than this one. So we need to prepare and go out with the same dedication as in this match," added the player.
Currently, the Latvian national team is in fourth place in Group A with six points — the last position that grants the right to advance to the playoffs.
On Sunday, the Latvians will play against Great Britain and then finish the group stage with a match against Hungary.
The World Ice Hockey Championship is taking place in Zurich and Fribourg and will conclude on May 31.
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