Latvian hockey legionnaires: Ābols and Balcers sit out as clubs still win big in Switzerland
Two of the most prominent Latvian hockey players abroad, Rodrigo Ābols and Rūdolfs Balcers, were left out of their teams' lineups, though both clubs still secured victories. Elsewhere, Darels Dukurs and Sandis Smons each posted two assists in Switzerland's second-tier league.
Two of the best-known Latvian hockey players competing in one of Europe's strongest national leagues did not take to the ice in the latest round. Rodrigo Ābols' club, Bern, fell in overtime to Rapperswil-Jona 3:4, but Ābols himself was not included in the lineup. Rūdolfs Balcers faced a similar situation — his club, Lausanne's Lions, won in overtime against Lausanne HC 3:2, yet Balcers watched from the sidelines.
The only Latvian to actually play in Switzerland's top league this round was Oskars Lapinskis. His club, Langnau Tigers, cruised to a convincing 6:2 win over Kloten, but Lapinskis saw just 45 seconds of ice time and had no notable involvement in the play.
A stronger showing in the second division
Latvian players fared considerably better in Switzerland's second-strongest league. Sandis Smons recorded two power-play assists to help Chur defeat Arosa, the league's current last-place team, 5:1. Darels Dukurs also contributed two assists, helping Sierre claim its fifth consecutive win as the club continues its unbeaten run this season.
Slovakia and Norway
In Slovakia's Tipsport League, the only game of the round saw Kristofers Bindulis' club, Dukla Michalovce, lose to Košice 3:6. The Latvian defenseman logged just under 13 minutes of ice time, registered one shot, and finished the game with a positive plus-minus rating of +1.
Meanwhile, in Norway's Elite hockey league, Emīls Šķeltiņš provided an assist that helped Lillehammer secure its first win of the season, defeating Narvik 5:3.
