Latvia celebrates an overtime win against Denmark

Although Latvian players clearly had the edge of the game in the early minutes of the first period, it was Denmark who managed to open the score, after Latvian goalie Kristers Gudlevskis let in an easy goal from Oliver Bjorkstrand's hands. The game momentum switched in favour of Danes soon afterwards.

In the second period there was a real battle carried out on the ice, with both team goaltenders Feuk and Gudlevskis playing a crucial role in it. However, in the eleventh minute of the period Latvian team earned a powerplay and, despite struggling with scoring on man advantage the whole tournament, this time it took only a few seconds, before team captain Kristians Pelss found the back of the net.

In the third period the Danish team had a slight edge of the game with Canucks prospect Nicklas Jensen stepping it up. Still, none of the teams managed to score the second goal of the game so that the fate of the game was decided in overtime. With 1:34 into overtime, it was Nikita Jevpalovs who managed to score the GWG. It certainly was a well-deserved goal by Jevpalovs who played a stunning game.

This was the fourth time Latvian team played at the Elite division World Junior Championship, and only the second time the team managed to avoid relegation. For the Danes this was the second WJC Elite appearance.

 

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