2025 World Juniors: Top standouts from Germany vs. Latvia

Credit: (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)

OTTAWA – Germany will play in the relegation year for the second straight year after not getting a full three points in a 4-3 loss to Latvia.

By virtue of getting at least one point, Latvia has taken the fourth spot in Group A to earn a spot in the quarterfinal. Germany, meanwhile, will play in the relegation round against either Kazakhstan or Switzerland, with the two teams meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

It took almost no time for the Germans to get on the board. Just 19 seconds in, Simon Seidl converted on a chance from Julius Sumpf to make it 1-0. They’d double the advantage on the power play at 28:40, with Edwin Tropmann scoring six seconds after Sumpf won the faceoff. But less than a minute later, Eriks Mateiko scored a big goal to cut the lead in half, making it a 2-1 hockey game.

The Latvians were buzzing early in the third and they managed to make it count. At 46:55, Bruno Osmanis converted off a Peteris Bulans feed to make it 2-2, putting Latvia in the spot they needed to be in late.

Germany knew they needed to score to avoid overtime, so they pulled the goalie to take a 6-on-4 advantage on a late power play. Unfortunately for the Germans, Olivers Murnieks scored a shorthanded empty-netter at 57:16, taking the steam out of Germany’s sails. That was, of course, until David Lewandowski scored to make it 3-3 – but that still wasn’t enough to get the points required to advance to the quarterfinal.

In the extra frame, it would be Mateiko – again – who would solve the game, blasting a shot in in the closing stages to make it 4-3.

Germany

#21 Julius Sumpf, C (Undrafted): Sumpf had two assists in the first half of the game to get the Germans started on the right foot. The crafty forward had points in each of his first two games but lacked high-danger chances against Canada. Today, I liked the way he outmuscled opponents and created chances consistently.

#22 Edwin Tropmann, D (Undrafted): For a defender who hadn’t scored a goal all year long, today was a big day for Tropmann. He scored the 2-0 goal on a blast just six seconds into a German power play in the second to give them a big lead at the time. He also had a whopping five shots in the first two periods as he kept trying to do whatever it took to get his team moving.

#27 Simon Seidl, RW (Undrafted): Seidl scored the first goal of the game – a product of being in the right spot at the right time. He also had five shots in the opening frame in easily the best period by a German forward at this tournament. He hadn’t done much offensively before today, but he was found in front of the net quite often today, and it paid off.

Latvia

#29 Linards Feldbergs, G (Undrafted): Feldbergs has already locked up Latvia’s MVP title for how well he has played over the past week. Today was no different, especially as he was forced to make 13 saves in the opening period alone. The two German goals were great opportunities, but Feldbergs didn’t crumple under pressure in what was the smallest workload of the tournament for him.

#9 Eriks Mateiko, LW (Washington Capitals): The Latvian hero against Canada was at it again, scoring the 2-1 goal less than a minute after Germany scored their second. Mateiko battled hard, hitting everyone in sight and it eventually led to the 2-1 goal. But nothing was as important as the game-winning goal in overtime, giving Latvia a second victory for the first time in tournament history. He’s Latvia’s smartest player and the one with the best shot, and he continues to show why the Latvians lean on him heavily game after game.

#19 Bruno Osmanis, RW (2025 NHL Draft): Osmanis was a one-man show in the third period. He had two outstanding looks before he eventually capitalized, making it a 2-2 game. He was knocked out of the game halfway through the third after taking a stick to the left eye, which was quite scary. But on the ice, Osmanis was everywhere.

#14 Olivers Murnieks, C (2026 NHL Draft): Murnieks had two assists and then scored the 3-2 goal on the empty net. The 2026 NHL Draft prospect is considered by many to be the future of Latvian hockey, and today, it was the best game of his tournament. He was the team’s best set-up man, played well on the rush and got in the way of shots late when they needed him. What a night.