Latvians get very important win over Germany

In an important Group B game, Latvia defeated Germany in dramatic fashion. Key to Latvia´s win was Roberts Lipsbergs´s hat trick. The Latvians took a huge step on the way to the medal round, but Germany now has only a slim chance to make the quartefinals.

Monday´s game was a duel of two teams playing a similar system. It meant careful defence in the neutral zone and tough play all over the ice.

Team Germany had the better start to the game. Their activity was rewarded by a rather cheap goal in the fifth minute. Dominik Kahun seized the puck and beat Latvian goalie Elvis Merlzlikins with a weak wrist shot from the left wing. After two minutes, Thomas Schmid got a penalty for tripping. The Latvian team out-shot their rivals and put the Germans under huge pressure. Teodors Blugers received a pass in front of German goalkeeper Marvin Cupper and scored with a hard slap shot.

In the 14th minute, Team Germany beat Merzlikins but, after a video review, it was ruled no goal because it was put into the net with a hand, so the score was still 1-1.

During the early minutes of the second period only a few interesting moments happened. However, in the 25th minute a Latvian defencemen made a mistake, giving Sven Ziegler a break away. He placed his slap shot under the crossbar of Merzlikin´s net. After the German goal, the Latvians were back on their heels. Despite this, they did have some chances to score. Seven minutes later, Roberts Lipsbergs tied the score on a rebound.

In the 28th minute, Robert Lipsberg gave Team Latvia the lead, but their celebration didn´t last long.Janik Moser beat Cupper and the score was tied again. The Latvian defencemen were not making Merzlikin´s work any easier during the whole second period.

The Latvian coach made a surprising goaltending change for the last twenty minutes of the game. Ivars Punnenovs substituted Merzlikins. In the first minute of the period, Latvian forward Georgs Golovkovs got a breakaway and beat Cupper on a forehand move to give his team a 4-3 lead. The lead lasted half a period, but with 10:18 to play Germany tied the game, thanks to forward Marcel Kurth, who scored on a rebound. Only 2:14 later, however, Latvian forward Roberts Lipsbergs sent a slap shot from the blueline to complete his hat trick.

In remaining time, the Latvians didn’t let the Germans tie the game. After this big win, Team Latvia is just few steps from querterfinals.