Latvians shine in Swiss hockey league – goals for Balcers and Ābols, assist for Smirnovs

In a game in Zurich, Rūdolfs Balcers' club Lions defeated Deniss Smirnovs' Ajoie 4:2. Both players lined up together on Latvia's national team's top line during the recent World Championship, but this time faced each other as opponents.

Balcers opened the scoring, capitalizing on an opponent's mistake to make it 1:0 from close range — his second goal of the season. Later, Smirnovs set up a goal to help Ajoie equalize, picking up his first point of the season. Balcers was on the ice for just under 13 minutes, while Smirnovs played 16 minutes, winning eight of 16 faceoffs and finishing the game with a plus-2 rating.

Ābols paves the way to victory

In another match, Rodrigo Ābols' club Bern beat Kloten EHC 4:1. Here too a Latvian opened the scoring — Ābols was first to the rebound off the goaltender and put it in the net. He has now collected four points this season — two goals and two assists. He played just under 18 minutes, won 61.54% of his faceoffs, and finished with a plus-1 rating.

Other Latvians in action

Goaltender Ivars Punnenovs lost with Rapperswil-Jona Lakers against Geneva's Servette 2:4, making 23 saves on 26 shots. Oskars Lapinskis' Langnau Tigers fell to Lausanne 3:5, with the Latvian forward playing just under three minutes.