IIHF Worlds: Latvia Makes History and Canada Wins Another Gold

The 2023 IIHF World Championships are in the books and what a tournament it was. It was the most exciting tournament in a long time as history was made with Latvia winning the Bronze Medal over Team USA and Germany picking up the silver medal. Canada, who was the second favourite entering the tournament, won the Gold Medal, as Team USA went empty-handed.

Latvia Shocks The World

Before we get into Team USA’s disappointing result of going home with nothing after starting the tournament so well, we have to talk about Latvia.

Latvia won their first-ever IIHF medal of any colour. It was truly a historic moment for Latvian Hockey and for the country itself. This small baltic nation showed it could play with the big boys all tournament long.

Kristians Rubins scored the late equalizer and the sudden-death overtime winner at 1:22 as Latvia rallied to stun Team USA by a score of 4-3.

Latvia wins historic bronze in overtime!??? #USALAT #IIHFWorlds @lhf_lv

Full game recap ⤵️https://t.co/WRMaNJQaaq pic.twitter.com/w8kl56yhFf

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 28, 2023

Latvia wins the first medal ever at #IIHFWorlds!??? @lhf_lv #USALAT #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/SqnufKcooy

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 28, 2023

In overtime, Latvian captain Kaspar Daugavins, who put his retirement on hold to play for Latvia one more time, carried the puck into the U.S. zone. From there he sent a backhand pass off defenceman Lane Hutson’s skate. The puck came to Rubins and he wired it high for a goal that will never be forgotten.

It was the goal heard around the world as Latvia won its first medal at this level. This small nation has come a long way in the hockey world. Considering they were a door mat for the bigger nations. Now Latvian hockey has put the rest of the world on notice.

Bronze medals for @lhf_lv.?? #USALAT #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/jyFrJjSTdY

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 28, 2023

As Rubins said post-game “It is not possible, to be honest” when asked what the feeling was like to win the first-ever medal for Latvia. “We don’t really know what happened tonight, Rubins went on to say. “We knew we could win it tonight. It is heavy, I did not know it was this heavy. It is unreal.”

THEY DID IT!? @lhf_lv
#USALAT #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/PAw0lBB9cJ

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 28, 2023

The Latvian party in Tampere, Finland was on, before the real party began in Riga, Latvia. For most of the tournament, the Latvians played in their home rink in Riga before coming over to Finland for the semifinals and finals. However, the crowd came with them. You could see the excitement and joy on their faces when the overtime goal went in.

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It is a feeling that we have seen in this country before. Not saying it is the same as the Miracle on Ice in 1980, but the reaction was very very similar. The fans were the reason Latvia got the victory and took home the bronze medal. Even Rubins acknowledged that after the game.

“Paldies!”? – Kristians Rubins. @lhf_lv #USALAT #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/TMb3FzcLRu

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 28, 2023

It was a tough road to get to this point. Latvia had to come from behind to beat Switzerland just to make the quarterfinals. Along the way, they knocked out Sweden and the United States. They also beat Czechia in this tournament. And were 20 minutes away from playing for Gold before Canada stormed back with three goals in the third period to send them to the bronze medal game.

You knew this was going to be a tough game for the United States. After an emotional loss to Germany in the semifinals blowing a 3-2 lead in the third period, Team USA lost a heartbreaker. Latvia was going to play with so much on the line. Team USA was once again in control, but failed to close the deal in the third period.

It was a disappointing result for a team that dominated the tournament. They were a perfect 8-0 up until the semifinals and appeared to be on its way to the Gold Medal game against Canada. But it was not meant to be. The United States fell to 0-12 in the semifinals at the IIHF Worlds. Two straight-blown losses left Team USA going home empty-handed. For the second straight year Team USA goes home without a medal. This was more disappointing than last year’s result.

Emotionally Team USA has come up short in these games after losing tough semifinals. European nations want to win medals for their country. You knew Latvia was going to be a test. Hockey is a game of inches and the puck went the Latvians way in the bronze medal game.

Making more history for Latvia Arturs Silovs was named top goaltender of the tournament and MVP of the tournament. What a moment for Latvia. Silvos played in all 10 games for Latvia. He is the fifth goaltender to win the award.

Canada Reigns Supreme as Germany Picks Up Silver

Canada regained the Gold Medal with a 5-2 victory over Germany in the Gold Medal game. The Canadians scored the only three goals of the third period to break a 2-2 tie.

Sammy Blais recorded the game-winning goal breaking the tie in the third period to give the Canadians a 3-2 lead. Tyler Toffoli and Scott Laughton added insurance markers as captured the gold medal again.

Canada has now been in 13 of the last 21 gold-medal games, winning seven, and has earned a medal in each of the last four years (two gold, two silver). In all, this is gold number 22 in the stand-alone World Championship history.

The win was most notable for  18-year-old and NHL Draft eligible player Adam Fantilli. Fantilli became just the second Canadian and 11th player to win World Junior gold and World Championship gold in the same season. He also recorded the goal of the tournament against Latvia in the semifinals.

??? WHAT A MOVE by Adam Fantilli.? #CANLAT #IIHFWorlds @hockeycanada pic.twitter.com/d8YGWhqMWc

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 27, 2023

But let us not forget about Germany. Winning a silver medal is huge for this nation as well. The Germans picked up their third silver medal at this tournament and their first since 1953 (when only three teams competed according to the IIHF). The other silver came in 1930. They also won a bronze in 1934. Not to mention Germany won a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Just imagine what this team could have accomplished with Tim Stutzle and Leon Draisaitl.

Their character never quit attitude, and goaltending got them to this point. They picked up some huge victories as well. They knocked off Switzerland in the crossover quarterfinals. Then came back to beat Team USA. But the tone was set early in the tournament by winning games they needed to win just to make the quarters. They were led by JJ Peterka of the Buffalo Sabres. Peterka recorded 12 points and finished third in scoring at the Worlds.

Like Latvia, Germany is showing they can hang with the big boys on the big stage. They are only getting better.

Final Thoughts

In the end, this was an historic tournament with Germany picking up the silver and Latvia picking up the bronze.  This was one of the more contested tournaments in a long time. It was so wide open with so many upsets. Anything can happen when teams take the ice. Though Canada took home the gold, medal day was all about Latvia and Germany.