Germany to Malmö, Latvia to Division I

Germany and Latvia close their participation in WJC with a key match to avoid relegation. Germany can count with the single point got in the overtime defeat against Slovakia, while Latvia has the obligation to win in the regular time to survive in the Top Division for a fourth consecutive year. The two teams have the worst scoring efficiency of WJC and the first period seems perfectly explain why: Germany has probably a better roster in term of individual quality, most of the star players act in North America, but in this case the sum of individual talent doesn’t produce a great team, while Latvia provide for the lack of single class with a strong team spirit.



In the middle of several messy actions Latvia finds the advantage exactly with a collective action: German goalie Marvin Cuppler rebounds Rinalds Rosinskins shot but can’t stop Lauris Rancevs tap-in. Germany has immediately the chance to tie game but Tobias Rieder unbelievably misses the puck to finish a Pannenkovs rebound and Latvia can close first period with an important advantage.

Germany needs six seconds in the central period to tie game with Rieder, this time able to finish a pass by Leon Draisaitl. The quick goal frustrates Latvia that takes some penalties for roughing; at 30:30, with Teodors Blugers out for a charge on German goalie, Latvia has a great chance with Kriss Lipsbergs on counter attack but his shot is over the bar, in the same action Germany finds the advantage with Leon Draisaitl, well placed in the angle, deflecting a smart pass by Dominik Kahun. At 33 chance for Germany close the game, Rieder steal the puck from Rosinskis and flies to Punnenovs but shot on Latvian goalie. Same Punnenovs is ready to put the pad deflecting a tap in by Rieder seconds after. But Rapperswil goalie can’t close on Christian Kretschmann finalization after two consecutive saves and German flies to a comfortable 3-1 at 36.04. On the other side Cupper is ready to deflect a dangerous shot by Edgars Siksna from the blue to close the period.



In the last period Latvia has a better approach at the game but at the first chance Germany scores the fourth goal with a very good preparation by Rieder and the finalization of Draisaitl with a wrist shot. At 48 Leonhard Pfoderl isn’t quick enough to deflect a pass by Frederik Tiffels. Latvia decides to risk all-out and pull the goalie during the power play at 50 and 56 minute but takes the fifth goal shorthanded by Sebastian Uvira that definitely burns out the vague Baltic hopes. Latvia scores its last goal in top division with Arturs Kuzmenkovs at 58:32 for the final 5-2.

Germany saves its spot for Malmö 2014, Latvia falls down to Division I in a final standing rightly corresponding with the qualities seen on ice.
MVP: Edmunds Augstkalns – Tobias Rieder.

In the post game Tobias Rieder can celebrate the capital victory: "I was in the team for three years, I can say I learn a lot and this experience was decisive this year. We know this was the key game so we were prepared especially for today and thankfully we managed to play as we want. We were in a pretty tough group with hockey nations as Russia, Canada and USA, we just try to get better every game, we had the chance to get some points with Slovakia and we did it, then I think we played a good relegation round. Almost all of us won't be here next year, so we are proud to leave the team at the top."

Forward Artūrs Ševčenko has no excuses for the bad Latvian campaign: "I don't know if we are really the worst team here, but certainly we didn't play well in this tournament. Today we played decently in the first period but when Germany suddenly scored at the begin of second we lost the calm, giving them too many penalties and loosing pucks. We know from the beginning that this game was probably our only chance to survive but unfortunately we don't make it."

Best players of the tournament for each team:
Latvia: Arturs Kuzmenkovs, Nikita Jevpalovs, Teodors Blugers
Germany: Marvin Cupper, Tobias Rieder, Leon Draisaitl

 

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