Porzingis drops ceremonial puck; Latvia begins 3x3 hockey tournament with two wins

On Saturday, July 18, Latvia's 3x3 hockey team made a strong start in the '8 Nations Cup' tournament in Riga. In the first game, they beat Estonia 5–2, followed by a 10–6 victory over Finland. Before the first match, renowned basketball player Kristaps Porzingis performed the ceremonial puck drop.

On Sunday, the Latvian team will face the Czech Republic, after which the teams will compete in the elimination round. All games are held at the Xiaomi Arena and can be watched live from 9:30 AM to 8:00 PM on the '24sport.app' platform.

Latvia's roster includes Uvis Balinskis, Sandis Vilmanis, Eduards Tralmaks, Kristaps Zīle, Renārs Krastenbergs, Deniss Smirnovs, Roberts Mamčics, Patriks Zabusovs, Frenks Razgals, and goaltender Mareks Mitens. The team is coached by Lauris Dārziņš.

The tournament features eight national teams: Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Estonia. The 3x3 hockey rules differ from traditional hockey: a match consists of three seven-minute periods, each team has three skaters and a goalie on the ice at once. Body checking is prohibited; fouls result in a penalty shot where the player goes one-on-one with the goalie while the other opponents try to distract him.

During breaks, additional 'Glove Off' ice fights will take place, involving athletes from various countries. These fights follow tournament regulations and consist of three one-minute rounds.