There are celebrations pouring across a new national holiday in Latvia today after their men’s national team defeated the USA for Bronze at the IIHF Men’s World Championships. The tournament was hosted in both Latvia and Finland.
Riga is sheer madness after the bronze medal. The heroes are received by some 50.000 or more fans at the Freedom Monument. The airline flew the team for free from Tampere, the plane was painted in 🇱🇻, music bands play for free, the government announced official day off @lhf_lv pic.twitter.com/Dqws7KBFxU
— EuropeanHockeyClubs (@EHCAlliance) May 29, 2023
Mighty Latvia
This is the first time in the country’s history they’ve won a medal at the illustrious international tournament in either the men’s or women’s division. For context, the team’s best finish before this year was 7th in 2004.
AHL defender Kristians Rubins was the hero for Latvia in the final game as he scored the game tying goal with six minutes left in the third and the overtime winner.
Kristians Rubins TIES the game!🇱🇻💥 @lhf_lv #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/aC7JEB3w6M
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 28, 2023
Kristians Rubins with the BRONZE MEDAL GOAL!🇱🇻🚨 @lhf_lv #USALAT #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/rpkLs1UDxA
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 28, 2023
Latvian audio version of Kristiāns Rubīns double goal, 1st medal ever for Latvia 🇱🇻 in hockey history.
A whole country gets emotional !#IIHFWorlds #LATVIJA #iihfworlds2023 pic.twitter.com/YQAEYiVW5C— Nicolas Jacquet (@Nico_Jt_) May 29, 2023
The hero for the whole tournament, as it always seems to be with Latvia, was 22-year-old goaltender Arturs Silovs who stopped a tournament high 258 shots (far and away the most among goalies) with a .921 save percentage. Silovs is a sixth round pick of the Canucks and on Abbotsford.
Arturs Silovs has been named Best Goalie of the tournament!#IIHFWorlds@lhf_lv
⭐Tournament All-Stars Article:
🔗https://t.co/HKM4cjZXf0 pic.twitter.com/9g2DvezAcS— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 28, 2023
Arturs Silovs has been named MVP of the tournament!#IIHFWorlds@lhf_lv
⭐Tournament All-Stars Article:
🔗https://t.co/HKM4cjZXf0 pic.twitter.com/rSRxMd2zdY— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 28, 2023
Crunch Impact
Syracuse Crunch forward Rudolfs Balcers scored two goals and nine points for his country in the historic achievement. He finished second in team scoring behind Rihards Bukarts.
Rudolfs Balcers puts Latvia back in the lead!🇱🇻🚨 @lhf_lv #CANLAT #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/lrl2owMBKr
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 27, 2023
"It feels unreal!"🤩
Rudolfs Balcers reflects on tonight's HUGE win. 🇱🇻 #SUILAT #IIHFWorlds @lhf_lv pic.twitter.com/n7MU54KTsl
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 23, 2023
Team USA
And where there are winners there must also be losers. The Americans breezed through the group stage undefeated, outscoring their opponents 33-8 along the way. But after beating the Czechs, they lost a shocker to Germany who eventually took home silver, and the bronze medal game to Latvia. They scored three goals in each loss, and averaged 32 shots while out-shooting their opponents. They led in the third in both games but stalled, losing in overtime twice. Casey DeSmith from Pittsburgh was in net and was a .843 in the last two games.
The USA have not won an IIHF Men’s World Championships in 63 years, and haven’t made it to the gold medal game in as long. The National Women’s Team won gold a couple months ago at the IIHF Women’s Worlds over host Canada. I was at that game and it was the best hockey game I’ve seen live.
The Bolts
Perbix led USA in time on ice, playing 20 minutes a night for his country and scoring two goals and four points. Michael Eyssimont had one goal and three points. Rocco Grimaldi led the team in goals and points (7-7-14). Lane Hutson led the defense in points with two goals and six points.
Nick Perbix puts it to the back of the net! ⭐️🇺🇸@usahockey are ahead 2-0! #IIHFWorlds #USACZE @TBLightning pic.twitter.com/rzZ4xFcUeL
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 25, 2023
Mikey Eyssimont breaks the stalemate and makes it a 3-2 game for the USA! #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/1p7XeakwJ0
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 27, 2023
Ronnie Attard puts the USA on the board!#IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/PoxBHovfk0
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 15, 2023
It was a difficult tournament for Eyssimont, who was ejected and suspended for one game for kneeing Sweden’s Rasmus Sandin, knowing the defenseman out of the tournament.
Gold Medal Game
While the true winners of this tournament are Latvia, the official gold medalists are Canada, who won the tournament for a record 28 games, including nine times since 1992 when the tournament was modernized, also the most. The tournament leaders for Canada were Lawson Crouse and Sammy Blais with six goals each. MacKenzie Weegar with a team high 10 points and 22 minutes per night. And old friend Samuel Montembeault in net with a .939 save percentage.
Germany who got their best results, silver, for the third time in their history (the last one being in 1953, so it’s been a while). They have a bevy of young stars who stepped up in this tournament for them, including John-Jason Peterka who led the team in goals and points (6-6-12), and Moritz Seider, who played a team-high 21 minutes per night.
Next year’s MWC will be hosted in Prague, Czech Republic, from May 10th to 26th. Hopefully no Lightning players are available to play this time, but that the USA finally breaks their duck. Maybe Auston Matthews can skate for them?
Raw Charge’s thoughts are with the gold star, military families, and all affected by war on this Memorial Day. Peace, love, and harmony for all.
