Latvia's national ice hockey team opens Deutschland Cup against Slovakia

Latvia's men's national ice hockey team will play its opening game at the Deutschland Cup, an international tournament for national teams, in Düsseldorf, Germany, on Thursday, 5 November. The opponent is Slovakia. The game starts at 17:15 Latvian time and will be broadcast live on the TV6 television channel.

Four national teams – Latvia, Germany, Slovakia and Austria – are competing, and the tournament ends on Sunday. On Saturday at 19:30 the team, led by head coach Haralds Vītoliņš, meets Germany, and on Sunday at 12:00 it plays Austria.

Squad and changes

The team travelled to Düsseldorf on Wednesday with three goaltenders, eight defencemen and 14 forwards. Forwards Filips Buncis and Darels Dukurs had been named in the squad but cannot help the team because of health problems. They were replaced by Rūdolfs Polcs of Mogo/RSU, the champion of the Optibet Hockey League (Latvia's domestic league), and Dāniels Andersons of the Liepāja hockey team.

Vītoliņš is assisted by coaches Lauris Dārziņš, Sandis Ozoliņš and Raimonds Vilkoits, goaltending coach Artūrs Irbe, video coach Pēteris Groms and fitness coach Ēriks Visockis.

The goaltenders are Ivars Punnenovs, Gustavs Dāvis Grigals and Jānis Fecers. The defence consists of Kristaps Zīle, Kristiāns Rubīns, Artūrs Andžāns, Miks Tumānovs, Sandis Smons, Nauris Sējējs, Ralfs Bergmanis and Niks Feņenko. The forwards are Toms Andersons, Rodrigo Ābols, Haralds Egle, Renārs Krastenbergs, Rihards Melnalksnis, Kristaps Skrastiņš, Patriks Zabusovs, Fēlikss Gavars, Raimonds Vītoliņš, Emīls Veckaktiņš, Bruno Osmanis, Daniels Serkins, Rūdolfs Polcs and Dāniels Andersons.

Tournament history

The Deutschland Cup has been held since 1987, and this will be its 37th edition. Latvia has played in it twice. In 2020 the team won the tournament, although because of Covid-19 restrictions only three teams took part – Latvia, Germany and Germany's U-23 team. Last year Latvia won one game and finished third.

In December the Latvian team will compete in the Kaufland Cup in Spišská Nová Ves, Slovakia.