1SV 3:5 LAT | Slovakia2 - Latvia (World Championship)

World Championship

Czech Republic – Denmark

2:1 (3:2 after SO)

Slovakia2 – Latvia

3:5 (end)

Sweden2 – Canada2

0:3 (end)

final

Slovakia2

3:5 (1:3, 1:1, 1:1)

Latvia

Thursday 09.05.2013, 19:15 • Hartwall Areena, Sweden • World Championship

		The story of this game was Latvia capitalizing on their opportunities and Slovakia not. The loss means the Slovaks remained tied for 4th in the Helsinki Group with France at 6 points, while Latvia moves into a tie with Austria for 7th. All teams in the group have 3 games remaining. Thanks for following. If you want more live hockey commentary, Sweden-Canada is currently in progress, and there's more every game day until the end of the tournament. (21:36:50)
		Players of the game: Slovakia Michel Miklik, Latvia Lauris Darzins.
	60:00	Game over.
	59:47	Two players swing sticks in front of the net, and Libor Hudacek gets high sticking.
	59:39	Goal for Team Slovakia! They get one on the power play, but it's far too little, far too late. Rene Vydareny takes the shot from the blueline and it's deflected upstairs by TOMAS SUROVY for his 2nd of the game. Assist: Rene Vydareny
	58:35	Martin Bartek takes a shot through traffic that hits Gudlevskis and he covers it. We get some more pushing and shoving after the whistle, but nothing serious and no penalties.
	58:03	It looks like Slovakia will finish the game on the power play, barring any goals or further penalties, as Andris Dzarins is called for hooking.
	56:00	Back at full strength. These teams seemingly playing out the string now.
	53:54	Gudlevskis covers the puck, and we've got some rough stuff after the whistle. Peter Olvecky and Ralphs Freibergs get their sticks up on each other and both go off. 4-on-4.
	53:44	Offside Latvia.
	53:20	Latvia back at full strength, play in the Latvian zone.
	52:45	Latvian penalty killers continually sending the Slovakian power play back to regroup.
	51:16	Vitalis Pavlovs is going to the box for a hook on Rene Vydareny, so Slovakia has a power play chance and one has to think they have to score if they have any hopes of salvaging any points from this one.
	51:02	Long shot by Kopecky stopped and covered by Gudlevskis. That's just Slovakia's 3rd shot this period.
	50:10	Slovakia back at full strength, but they're running out of time, down by 3.
	49:15	Martins Cipulis hits the side of the net, and Darzins, looking for #4, misses from a sharp angle.
	48:04	Michal Sersen going to the box for hookingin the neutral zone, so Latvia with a chance to increase the lead, or at least take more time off the clock.
	47:04	Right off the draw a shot by Vydarenya, Gudlevskis again stops and holds.
	47:00	Scramble in the Latvian goal crease, but Gudlevskis pounces on it for a whistle.
	45:30	The Latvians content to rag the puck right now. Slovakia just not getting anything going.
	43:11	Puck deflected out of play. Faceoff in the Slovakian zone.
	43:02	Offside Slovakia.
	42:44	Not much energy from Slovakia right now. Latvia has been the stronger team this period, this one a shot by Indrasis that Janus catches and holds.
	40:25	Goal for Team Latvia! Hat trick LAURIS DARZINS! He takes one shot and Janus makes the save, but two Slovakian defenders can't clear it and he picks it up and puts it into the empty net to make it 5-2. All 3 of his goals have been Unassisted.
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
		The teams are back on the ice and the 3rd period will begin shortly.
		The Slovaks once again got the better chances that period, and after failing to capitalize a few times, finally got a goal from Tomas Surovy, however that effort was erased when Lauris Darzins scored his 2nd of the game late to restore the 2-goal margin after 40 minutes. Shots on goal in the 2nd period (and game): Slovakia 9 (18), Latvia 8 (15). 3rd period begins at 20:56 CEST, 14:56 EDT.
	40:00	2nd period finished.
	38:50	Goal for Team Latvia! LAURIS DARZINS pounces on a loose puck in the neutral zone, skates in on goal, tries to pass across but the puck hits the stick of a Slovak defenceman, then goes off the goalpost an in. It's the 2nd of the game for Dzerins to restore the 2-goal lead. Unassisted.
	36:09	Goal for Team Slovakia! Slovakia finally capitalizes on one of their chances, as TOMAS SUROVY steps over the blueline and fires a wrister that seemed to hit the stick of a Latvian defenceman and dip pass Gudlevskis to make it a one-goal game. Assist: Branislav Mezei
	34:43	Another chance for Slovakia, Miklik the shot on the rush, Gudlevskis stops and holds on. The Slovaks still shaking their heads at that glorious missed chance on the 2-on-1.
	33:30	Slovakia 2-on-1, Tomas Kopecky and Branko Radivojevic pass it back and forth, but Kopecky fires wide with the open short side.
	32:32	Icing Latvia.
	31:43	Shot from the point hits Janus in the pads through traffic, though he coudn't see it, and the rebound was fired out of play. Faceoff outside with just :01 left in the power play.
	30:44	Offside Latvia. One penalty is over, 1:00 left in the other.
	29:44	It's going to be another Latvian 2-man advantage as Mario Bliznak puts a hook on Girgensons, who was trying to break into the clear.
	28:39	Latvia going to the power play as Marko Dano is called for high sticking. They're 1/2 so far with a penalty shot goal too.
	28:34	Tomas Surovy passes to Peter Olvecky, sending him in goal with speed, almost getting right in the clear. He tries to go five-hole but Gudlevskis makes a fine save to deny him.
	28:20	Play is stopped in the Slovakian zone as a player falls and slides into the net, dislodging it. Faceoff inside.
	27:59	Shot from the boards by Miks Indrasis. Stana stops it and holds on.
	27:46	Offside Slovakia.
	27:01	Shot deflected out of play in the Latvian zone, faceoff outside.
	26:33	Puck deflected into the Slovakian bench. Faceoff at the Latvian blueline.
	25:51	Icing Slovakia.
	24:19	A Latvian shot is deflected out of play in front of the net. It was apparently the Latvian forward in front who touched it as the faceoff is outside.
	23:56	Icing Latvia.
	23:49	Offside Latvia.
	23:25	Latvia's Andris Dzerins took a pass in prime shooting position and strangely opted to pass. The pass didn't connect and the chance was squandered.
	23:02	Marko Dano takes a pass at the hashmarks near the boards, turns and fires, right on Gudlevski. Dano is expected to be an early pick in this year's NHL Entry Draft.
	21:47	Offside Slovakia.
	21:30	Latvia now back at full strength, play in the neutral zone.
	20:53	A couple shots for Jan Kopecky near the side of the net, Gudlevskis sharp, and the puck is cleared.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
		We're about to start. Slovakia with another 1:20 of power play time carrying over. Jaroslav Janus is taking over in goal for Rastislav Stana, who surrendered 3 goals on 7 first-period shots.
		The teams are on the ice. There's a bit of a delay getting going because of an excess amount of water on the ice.
		That period began with each team striking quickly, as it was 1-1 before the game was 2 minutes old. Slovakia then held the edge in play for a while but was unable to score, but Latvia scored twice--once on a penalty shot and again on a power play--to take a 3-1 lead to the intermission. Shots on goal in the 1st period: Slovakia 9, Latvia 7. 2nd period begins at 20:06 CEST, 14:06 EDT.
	20:00	1st period finished.
	19:47	They got a couple of shots in the early going there, then the puck is deflected out of play. Faceoff inside.
	19:21	Now Tomas Zaborsky is knocked down behind the Latvian goal, driven into the boards by Arturs Kulda, who draws a boarding penalty. The Slovaks get their first power play chance late in the period.
	17:24	Goal for Team Latvia! ZEGMUS GIRGENSONS, the player who was hit to draw the boarding penalty, took a pass at the boards, stickhandled into the middle and fired a wrister that beat Stana high to the stick side for a power-play goal. Assist: Arturs Kulda.
	17:00	The Slovaks clear again as now they're only down one man.
	16:40	Another save by Stana, this on Sirokovs, and he holds on late in the 5-on-3.
	16:20	Krisjanis Redhihs with a shot from the point, save Stana and it's cleared.
	15:47	It gets worse for Slovakia, as Branislav Mezei, the player who caused the penalty shot, hammers Zegmus Girgensons from behind in the corner and he goes off for boarding. That gives Latvia a 2-man advantage for 1:04.
	14:51	Tomas Zaborsky is getting this game's first minor penalty for interference, colliding with a Latvian player at the blueline as the Slovaks entered the attacking zone. Latvian has scored on a penalty shot, now they'll give their power play a shot.
	14:10	Icing Slovakia. Suddenly they're back on their heels.
	13:30	Latvia fired up now. Martins Cipulis with a shot from the top of the circle, turned to the corner by Stana.
	13:00	Goal for Team Latvia! On the penalty shot, captain LAURIS DARZINS dekes Stana to the forehand and scores to give the lead back to Latvia.
	13:00	Now we've got a wild scramble in the Slovakian crease, it ends up with Slovak defenceman Branislav Mezei covering the puck with his hand, givng Latvia a penalty shot.
	12:35	Rastislav Stana, who's been getting cold this game since giving up a goal in the opening minute, finally makes a save and covers the puck.
	12:05	On a Slovak rush, Peter Olvecky on the wing centres to Martin Bartak, who one-times a blast that Gudlevskis had to slide across to make a nice pad save on.
	10:38	Slovaks shoot the puck in offside, faceoff at centre ice.
	10:30	Offside Latvia.
	08:52	Icing Slovakia.
	08:20	Slovakia holding the edge in play, the puck bounces in front to Olvecky and he shoots wide.
	07:58	Puck deflected out of play in the Latvian zone. Faceoff inside.
	06:52	Miroslav Satan from the corner, passes to Andrei Sekera sneaking in from the point and he fires a one-timer wide.
	04:34	Good chance for Slovakia's 3rd line to score again. Kukumberg won a battle for the puck behind the net and fed Miklik in front, who was stoned by Kristers Gudlevskis from point blank.
	02:50	The puck deflects out of play in the Latvian zone, faceoff inside.
	02:15	Icing Latvia.
	01:23	Goal for Team Slovakia! Amazingly, yes they can! It wasn't right off the draw, they were actually forced back into the neutral zone, but re-entered with speed and TOMAS ZABORSKY took a pass and quickly fired it past Gudlevskis from the top of the slot. Assist: Roman Kukumberg, Michal Miklik.
	00:58	At the other end, Gudlevskis makes his first save of the game, and we'll see if Slovakia can answer with a faceoff conversion of their own.
	00:15	Goal for Team Latvia! The Latvians forced an early attacking-zone faceoff, and right off the draw MARTINS CIPULIS fired it through the legs of Rastislav Stana to get the Latvians on the board first. Assist: Janis Sprunkts.
	00:01	Game started.
		The teams are on the ice. Slovakia, the designated home team, is wearing white jerseys with blue and red trim, with dark blue pants and helmets. Latvia is wearing burgundy jerseys with white trim, black pants and helmets.
		Starting Lineups: Slovakia: Staňa (Janus) – Mezei, Sekera, Ďaloga, Sersen, Vydarený, Jurčina, Mihálik – Bližňák, Kopecký (A), Radivojevič (A) – Stümpel, Šatan (C), Hudáček L. – Kukumberg, Mihálik, Záborský – Daňo, Bartek, Surový, Ölvecký. Latvia: Gudlevskis (Masalskis) – Sotnieks, Redlihs (A), Freibergs, Kulda, Jass, Andersons, Pavlovs – Sprukts (A), Darzins (C), Cipulis – Dzerins, Girgensons, Indrasis – Kenins, Berzins, Jekimovs – Stals, Sirokovs, Jass. Referees: Vinnerborg (SWE), Zalaski (CAN) – Blumel (CZE), Jonannes (SWE).
		After this game, all teams in the Helsinki Group will be up to 4 games played. Slovakia currently sits in 4th place with 6 points, and can jump up to 9 with a regulation win, which would put them in a 3-way tie for 1st with Russia and USA. Latvia is still looking for its first points of this tournament--a win would tie them for 7th with Austria, a team they might have to battle against to avoid relegation. For followers of the KHL, these two teams should look very familiar, as their lineups are made up largely of members of the country's respective KHL teams: Slovan Bratislava and Dinamo Riga.
		Welcome. This game starts at 20:15 EEST (local time in Helsinki) 19:15 CEST, 17:15 GMT, 13:15 EDT.

Commentary by

Derek OBrien

@@Djob76

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 2. Zaborksky (Kukumberg, Miklik), 37. Surovy (Mezei), 60. Surovy (Vydareny) – 1. Cipulis (Sprunkts), 13. Darzins (p.s.), 18. Girgensons (Kulda), 39. Darzins, 41. Darzins

Slovakia2: Staňa (Janus) – Mezei, Sekera, Ďaloga, Sersen, Vydarený, Jurčina, Mihálik – Bližňák, Kopecký (A), Radivojevič (A) – Stümpel, Šatan (C), Hudáček L. – Kukumberg, Mihálik, Záborský – Daňo, Bartek, Surový, Ölvecký.

Latvia: Gudlevskis (Masalskis) – Sotnieks, Redlihs (A), Freibergs, Kulda, Jass, Andersons, Pavlovs – Sprukts (A), Darzins (C), Cipulis – Dzerins, Girgensons, Indrasis – Kenins, Berzins, Jekimovs – Stals, Sirokovs, Jass.

Referees: Vinnerborg (SWE), Zalaski (CAN) – Blumel (CZE), Jonannes (SWE)

1st period
	00:15
	01:23
	13:00
	14:51
	15:47
	17:24
	19:21
1st intermission
2nd period
	28:39
	36:09
	38:50
2nd intermission
3rd period
	40:25
	48:04
	51:16
	53:54
	58:03
	59:39
	59:47
Final