Latvia Defeats Denmark to Secure World Junior Championship Quarterfinal Spot

Latvia secured a place in the quarterfinals of the World Junior Championship by defeating Denmark 6-3. This victory was crucial as it marked their first win in Group B at the 3M Arena, located on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis. Notably, this marks the third consecutive tournament where Latvia has reached the quarterfinals.

Key Players Shine for Latvia

Alberts Smits, a prominent prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft, had a standout performance with one goal and two assists. He expressed his excitement, stating, “It feels amazing. That was our goal, and now we have completed it.” Other notable contributors include Bruno Osmanis, who scored a goal and added an assist, and Olivers Murnieks, who provided two assists.

Game Summary

• Latvia’s Krisjanis Sarts opened the scoring at 16:52 in the first period.
• Smits extended the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal in the second period.
• Denmark’s Oliver Larsen responded, cutting the lead to 2-1 in the second period.
• Latvia regained momentum with three power-play goals.
• Kristers Ansons sealed the game with an empty-net goal, ending the match at 6-3.

Latvia’s head coach, Artis Abols, acknowledged the challenge of the game, stating, “Game against Finland (8-0 loss) was what it was; we were out of gas.” He praised the team’s power play, which significantly contributed to their victory, scoring three times while Denmark struggled in a back-to-back game situation.

Denmark’s Resilience

For Denmark, William Bundgaard stood out with a goal and two assists. Despite the defeat, assistant coach Mikkel Boedker remained optimistic about their effort, saying, “We can be proud of the way we played.” Denmark will be looking to regroup as they prepare to face Germany in the relegation game.

Upcoming Matches

Latvia’s next challenge will be against Czechia on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET, while Denmark is set to compete against Germany in their relegation encounter on Friday at 12:30 p.m. ET.

This match underlines the competitive nature of the tournament and the potential of young players emerging for future NHL drafts.