MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – After Latvia pulled off an unbelievable upset a year ago, they looked to do the same against Canada in their opening game of the tournament.
In the end, Canada came away with the 2-1 overtime victory, but the Latvians proved they can play a pesky game and make life difficult for one of the perceived powerhouses.
Canada opened the scoring in the second period – albeit controversially. Martins Klaucans was ejected from the game for hitting Zayne Parekh in the head – but further replays showed that it was far from the principal point of contact. On the ensuing five-minute power play, Calgary Flames prospect Cole Reschny managed to break the deadlock.
The intensity ramped up in the third, with Latvia putting on the pressure early. But Canada kept them pinned in their own zone in the second half, forcing the Latvians to get a bit desperate. Nils Maurins was excellent the rest of the way, keeping a perfect record at 5-on-5. That proved crucial, as Latvia scored with 1:58 left in regulation from Rudolfs Berzkalns to tie the game and force overtime. This time, though, Canada wouldn’t back down, with Michael Hage scoring a one-timer to win the game and get revenge for the loss a year ago.
Here is a look at the top performers from Saturday night:
Canada
#1 Jack Ivankovic, G (Nashville Predators): After a bit of a chaotic night in net for Carter George on Friday, Ivankovic had a much calmer experience today. The Latvians kept pressing, but Ivankovic continued to turn pucks away with his quick footwork. He was absolutely dialed in during the third, especially as Latvia started to ramp up the pressure again.
#2 Kashawn Aitcheson, D (New York Islanders): Aitcheson made it his mission to hit everyone in sight, especially in the first period. He’s a punishing player who makes life difficult for whoever wants to rush toward the net. His bread and butter is keeping players to the perimeter, and Latvia struggled to get themselves to the middle of the ice as a result.
#23 Sam O’Reilly, RW (Tampa Bay Lightning): You have to hand it to O’Reilly. He probably heard the nepotism criticism, given that his OHL coach is Dale Hunter. But he has been Canada’s best bottom-six forward the past two games, using his speed and relentless attack to win battles. He even nearly scored a shorthanded goal in the second. He’s Canada’s top penalty killer, and I’ve been more impressed with his game at this event than I expected I would be.
#29 Michael Hage, C (Montreal Canadiens): Hage was downright terrible in the faceoff dot. But he was one of Canada’s most noticeable players all night long, and he earned the game-winning goal after taking a great one-timer a minute into overtime. He had a couple of excellent passes that didn’t result in anything because a Canadian player in front was tied up. But his ability to get the puck into danger was better than just about anyone else on this team – again.
Latvia
#30 Nils Maurins, G: Goaltending was a big reason why the Latvians went on their miracle run a year ago, and Maurins kept the spirit alive. He made 24 saves in the opening two periods alone, giving his team a fighting chance heading into the third. There wasn’t much he could have done on Canada’s power-play goal in the second – he was heavily screened. Beyond that, Maurins played excellently – he kept his team in it.
#23 Alberts Smits, D (2026 NHL Draft): Smits was tasked with playing heavy minutes, and he delivered. He was easily the most intelligent and toughest defenseman on the ice for the Latvians, pushing back whenever the Canadians tried to play through the middle. Smits also led the Latvians with three shots in the second period – he was doing everything possible to keep his team involved.
#11 Dmitrijs Dilevka, LW: Admittedly, I didn’t know much about Dmitrijs Dilevka before today. I definitely do now. The 19-year-old was Latvia’s best forward tonight, bar none. He was winning most of his races to the puck, was pressuring the Canadians to make mistakes and he also got his stick in a few dangerous areas. Overall, he was one of the only true shot generators up front for Latvia.
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