Canada Falls to Latvia in Shootout at World Juniors
OTTAWA – Canada suffered its first loss of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, falling 3-2 in a shootout to Latvia on Friday, December 27, in Ottawa. Despite outshooting Latvia 57-26, Canada was unable to solve Latvian goaltender Linards Feldbergs, who delivered a stellar 55-save performance.
Game Highlights
The game began as a defensive showdown, with neither team finding the back of the net in the first period. In the second, Canada broke the deadlock with a short-handed goal by Jett Luchanko at 3:28.
Latvia responded in the third period when Eriks Mateiko capitalized on a power-play opportunity to tie the game. Canada briefly regained the lead with a power-play goal from Calum Ritchie, assisted by Easton Cowan and Cole Beaudoin. However, Latvia’s Peteris Bulans equalized late in the period, also on the power play, with assists from Davis Livsics and Bruno Osmanis.
The teams remained deadlocked through overtime, setting the stage for a shootout. Latvia’s Mateiko scored the decisive goal, while Canada’s shooters were unable to convert against Feldbergs, who emerged as the hero of the game.
Goaltending Duel
Canada’s Jack Ivankovic was solid in net, making 24 saves on 26 shots for a 0.923 save percentage. However, Feldbergs’ exceptional 55-save performance with a 0.965 save percentage proved to be the difference.
Special Teams and Discipline
Penalties played a significant role in the game. Latvia capitalized on two of seven power-play opportunities, while Canada converted one of four. Discipline will be a key focus for Canada moving forward, as they logged 16 penalty minutes compared to Latvia’s 10.
What’s Next
The loss marks Canada’s first in the tournament, bringing their total points to 4 in the group. The team will look to regroup as they prepare to face Germany on Sunday, December 29. With high stakes and passionate fans, Canada will aim to bounce back and regain momentum in their pursuit of the gold medal.
Stay tuned to GTA Today for continued coverage of the World Junior Championship.
