Switzerland wins in shootout over Latvia in tight world junior game

Latvia has shaken up Group B action at the World Junior Championship with a point, but Switzerland still managed to hold on for the 3-2 victory in the shootout.

Switzerland earned the extra point, putting them in first place in Group B after two days. Latvia has a single point, with their contest against Slovakia later in the tournament proving to be extra important.

The Swiss were hoping to capitalize on their opening game momentum and they got it at 8:20. With the Latvians trying to find their footing in their own zone, Brian Zanetti found Louis Robin in front for the 1-0 goal.

The lead lasted for about five minutes, when Dans Locmelis beat the outstretched Kevin Pasche and fired it over his glove for the 1-1 goal. That helped spark some momentum in the Latvians, who kept pressuring Pesche, but couldn’t get the go-ahead goal until the second period.

With time running out in the middle stanza, Darels Dukurs gave Latvia its first lead of the tournament. With Martins Lavins causing havoc in front of the net, Gustavs Ozolins’ shot went off Pasche and landed on the stick of Darels Dukurs, who knocked in the rebound for the power-play goal.

The Swiss desperately needed a goal to tie it up, and they got their wish. At 58:04, Rodwin Dioncio’s blast from the point beat Patriks Berzins, who had a partial screen in front.

That forced the game into extra time, where they needed seven rounds to decide a winner. Dans Locmelis and Attilio Biasca both scored for their teams, but it was Switzerland’s Liekit Reichle who scored the game-winner to give his team the extra point.