National Hockey League (NHL) goalkeeper Artūrs Šilovs, forward Teodoras Bļuger and defenseman Uvi Balinskis have been saved places for participation in the world championship in the Latvian men’s hockey team, national team head coach Harijs Vītoliņš announced at the press conference on Tuesday.
The head coach of the national team announced that 24 players – three goalkeepers, eight defenders and 14 forwards – will go to the championship, but not all of them will be included in the application yet.
“Two goalkeepers, seven defenders and 13 forwards will be applied, but three players will still be with us,” explained Vītoliņš. “We’ll see how events unfold in the NHL, but we’ll have two free spots left.”
As you know, Shilov and Blüger represent the Vancouver “Canucks”, while Balinski is in the ranks of the Florida “Panthers”.
In the first round of the Stanley Cup, the “Canucks” beat the “Predators” of Nashville 4-2 in the series to four victories, the Latvian goalkeeper played in three matches and won two, while Bļugers did not score any points. Balinskis, on the other hand, has not yet made his Stanley Cup debut, but his team beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 in the first round of the series, while the Panthers beat the Boston Bruins 1-5 in the first match of the second round of the “play off”.
The second round series with a loss of the “Panthers” can end on May 12, but the fourth game of the “Canucks” against the Edmonton “Oilers” will take place on May 14.
Defenders Sandis Smons (La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland) and Roberts Kaļľcis (Marseille, France), as well as forwards Filips Buncis (Vastervik) will not go to the World Championship among the players who trained with the national team until now. , Sweden) and Oskars Lapinskis (Langnavs “Tigers”, Switzerland).
At the beginning of the championship, goalkeeper Eriks Vitols (Keuruu “KeuPa”, Finland), defender Arvils Bergmanis (University of Alaska Fairbanks, NCAA) and forward Martins Lavins (University of New Hampshire, NCAA) will not be announced at the beginning of the championship.
In total, the national team includes seven world championship debutants – goalkeeper Eriks Vitols, defender Markus Komuls, as well as forwards Haralds Egle, Martins Laviņš, Félix Gavars, Eduards Tralmaks and Raivis Ansons.
As last year, Kaspars Daugavins will be the national team captain, and his assistants will be Rodrigo Ābols and Roberts Bukarts.
In test matches, Latvian ice hockey players beat Austria twice in penalty kicks at home with 3:2 and lost to Finland twice with 2:3, lost to Switzerland 1:5 and 0:4 away, but lost to Norwegians 0:1 in extra time in Riga, winning by 8 in the replay :0.
In the Latvian national team, the head coach Harijs Vītoliņš is assisted by coaches Lauris Dārziņš, Artūrs Irbe, Petri Nummelins, Ville Peltonens, Raimonds Vilkoits, video coach Pēteris Groms and physical training specialist Āriks Visockis.
The Latvian national team will go to the world championship in the Czech Republic on May 9.
The 2024 championship will take place in Prague and Ostrava from May 10 to 26.
Tags: Latvian hockey team saves places players NHL application world championship
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