Canada suffers two big losses against Latvia at world juniors

Published Dec 27, 2024  •  2 minute read

Latvia goaltender Linards Feldbergs turns to make a save against Canada with help from Martins Klaucans (right) during the first period of an IIHF world junior hockey championship preliminary round game in Ottawa on Dec. 27, 2024. Photo by Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press

Eriks Mateiko scored the only goal of an eight-round shootout as Latvia upset Canada 3-2 at the world junior hockey championship Friday night.

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The shootout loss was two-fold for Canada: Defenceman Matthew Schaefer left the game early with an injury that could keep him out of the rest of the tournament.

The loss left Canada with a 1-0-1-0 record, good for four points.

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Canada played with five defencemen after losing Schaefer early in the first period.

The home team was up 1-0 when Mateiko, a third-round pick of the Washington Capitals, tied the game on the power play with 6:42 left in the third period.

Canada responded 1:04 later on its own power play when Calum Ritchie one-timed a pass from Easton Cowan into the top corner.

That did not discourage the pesky Latvians, as Peteris Bulans knotted the count once more with another power-play marker with 2:29 left in regulation.

Jett Luchanko had Canada’s other goal while Jack Ivankovic, a 17-year-old who toils for the Brampton Steelheads, made 24 saves through three periods and overtime.

Much busier was Linards Feldbergs, an undrafted 19-year-old with the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix, who stopped 54 shots in the Latvian net.

Missing all but the first few minutes of the game was Schaefer, who has lived up to his billing as a candidate to go first overall in the 2025 NHL entry draft.

Arguably the team’s best player in the pre-tournament competition through the opener against Finland, the 17-year-old Erie Otter was driving to the net and hit the goal post hard with his left shoulder.

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After lying face-first near the end board for a few seconds, Schaefer rose to his feet slowly and skated without assistance to the Canada bench, but instead of stopping he went straight to the dressing room and wasn’t seen the rest of the night.

Watching from the press box as Canada’s extra defenceman has been Sawyer Mynio, a 19-year-old from Kamloops, B.C., who was a third-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in 2023.

Mynio has five goals and 14 points in 18 WHL games this season.

Canada outshot Latvia 12-9 in the goalless first period and 21-4 in the second.

Luchanko, a first-round Flyers pick, sent the packed Canadian Tire Centre crowd into a frenzy with a shorthanded goal at 3:28 of the second period. He intercepted a pass near the Canada blue line and skating in alone to beat Feldbergs with a smooth forehand-to-backhand deke.

Canada’s next game is on Sunday night against Germany.

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