We’ve reached the fourth day of the 2025 World Juniors with a full slate of games ahead, including an opportunity for redemption.
Canada returns to action for the first time since their stunning upset loss to Latvia on Friday. They’ll be without defenseman Matthew Schaefer, who reportedly suffered a broken clavicle in the loss against the Latvians and may require surgery. Defender Sawyer Mynio will take his place.
Canada will square off against Germany, who seek their first win of the tournament. The United States, who won 5-1 against Latvia yesterday, will play against Finland in the early afternoon. Sweden is also in action against Switzerland while Czechia takes on Slovakia.
Today’s schedule
• Switzerland vs. Sweden, 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT
• United States vs. Finland, 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m PT
• Czechia vs. Slovakia, 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT
• Canada vs. Germany, 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT
Latvia goaltender Linards Feldbergs addresses the media after a 5-1 loss to USA. (Sarah Jean Maher / The Athletic)
Latvia’s Feldbergs still buzzing over Canada upset
USA proved to be the tougher opponent for Latvia, and a tight turnaround between games made things even harder.
But despite the 5-1 loss, Latvia goaltender Linards Feldbergs was still all smiles after his team’s upset win over Canada on Friday night.
It’s finally sunk in.
“I’m thinking about it for the day, like for the next two hours I’m going to still be happy about it,” Feldbergs said after the USA game. “And probably I’m going to be happy about it for the next years, I’m going to remember the moment that we won against Canada, and it’s really big.”
The 19-year-old netminder caught the attention of the hockey world with a 55-save performance in a 3-2 shootout victory, including Carey Price.
Feldbergs, wow. Well done kid.
On to the next one boys. 🇨🇦
— Carey Price (@CP0031) December 28, 2024
“That’s really crazy that, like, the popular players saw me playing and also (are) saying good words for me,” Feldbergs said. “I’m really excited about it and I really feel it in my heart.”
Latvia faced off against the U.S. less than 24 hours after the hard-fought win. The team was tired — coach Artis Abols said he slept only four hours — but Feldbergs’ body was feeling better than he thought it would.
And he credited the Latvian cheers from the Canadian Tire Centre crowd with energizing the crowd.
“When we scored, it was really loud then. And also on power play there was cheering ‘Latvia, Latvia,’” he said. “It was crazy.”
The team will have a well-deserved day off — Feldbergs said he’ll go for a walk or maybe take an ice bath — before their next matchup against Germany on Monday.
“I think like the next two games are going to be like the important ones,” Feldbergs said. “And you just have to prepare the same as we prepared yesterday. We have to play like a team and we have to do our best for the next two games.”
Team USA reacts to Canada’s loss
American forward Danny Nelson admitted that he was “a little surprised” to see Latvia defeat Canada and thought their play on Saturday was “impressive” despite the quick turnaround. Teammate James Hagens knew the game would be “tough” considering how Latvia played Canada, especially after how close the game was played in the first period.
“You have to respect everyone in this tournament,” Hagens said. “These are the best kids at their age. And you know, anyone can win on any given day. So it’s just understanding that that’s a great hockey team and you have to come in here ready to give it your all.
“Obviously, you saw their game against Canada, they never stopped coming. We just knew that. We just stuck to it.”
Playing a team on the ice is tough enough. But the United States was never going to be a fan favorite while playing in a Canadian city, and they were left to fend off the pro-Latvia crowd at the Canadian Tire Centre.
“It was kind of cool,” Nelson said. “We just know whoever we play, they’re probably going to root for them over us, so we just kind of expected that.”
Required reading
• Canada’s Matthew Schaefer out for remainder of World Juniors with injury
• Latvia hangs tight with USA, Czechia blows out Kazakhstan on Day 3 at World Juniors
(Photo of Latvia’s Linards Feldbergs and Canada’s Porter Martone: Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press via AP)
