photo: Andre Ringuette/IIHF
Eduards Tralmaks scored at 2:02 of the third period to break a 1-1 tie and send Latvia on their way to a cruciual 4-1 win over France. Tralmaks tipped in a Kristaps Zile point shot, sending the pro-Latvian crowd into song and dance. Dans Locmelis added not one but two empty netters in the final minute and a half to seal the win.
Latvia had won five of the six previous meetings between the teams.
It was the first game for both teams at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, and both teams are right back at it tomorrow. Latvia plays Canada in the afternoon, followed by a France-Finland tilt.
"It was a tough game," said Martins Lavins. "They're a hard team to play against. We had great chances and knew eventually we would score, and we did. We just had to be patient. What a play by Marty Dzierkals on the penalty kill [to tie the game]!"
"We started the game the right way, but unfortunately we got that PP goal against," lamented French captain Sacha Treille. "That was tough, but we still had a chance to react at that point, and then it could have gone either way. It was a close game. We have to feel positive and keep going for the rest of the tournament. Their goalie played a great game, but still we can be better in front of the net and make it harder for him. It's still only the first game of the tournament."
It was a tame and cautious first period that was dominated by the drumbeats and the chanting of "Lat-vi-ja!" by the several thousand Latvian fans, who kept the atmosphere alive while teams played not wanting to make that first mistake.
But in due course France got on the board first. Jordann Perret brought the puck in over the line and it eventually came back to the point. Jules Boscq’s quick shot was tipped in front by Dylan Fabre at 15:02 to give the underdogs a 1-0 lead.
Later in the period Latvia had a great chance to equalize when France took two quick penalties, giving the Latvians a five-on-three for 16 seconds and almost four minutes of consecutive power-play time. But despite the advantage, the French penalty killers were sensational and teams headed to the dressing room with that 1-0 score still favouring the French.
The Latvians got a scare early in the second when a fluttering point shot form Pierre Crinon went all the way, hitting the post with Kristers Gudlevskis unaware of where it was. But the puck stayed out, and Latvia started to play with a little more desperation. But as Latvia increased the intensity, the French were able to match. The best chance came off the stick of Kevin Bozon who got the puck in the high slot and forced Gudlevskis to make a great save to keep it a 1-0 game.
When Bozon took an interference penalty, the game exploded into a frenzy of excitement. The French killed off his minor, but as he came out of the box the French created a four-on-two rush, and Bozon nearly made it 2-0.
Coming up ice, Toms Andersons then hit the post, and back down into the Latvia end again a mad scramble saw Pierre-Edouard Bellemare almost jam the puck in. It was wild few minutes that had the fans on the edge of their seats.
And then, the Latvians caught a break moments after incurring a penalty. Tim Bozon lost the puck in his own end, and Martins Dzierkals made a patient deke and fired the puck into the open net at 15:36 for a short-handed goal to make it 1-1.
The rest of the game was hard fought, but the Tralmaks goal tilted the ice in Latvia's favour, and they never looked back.
Latvia had won five of the six previous meetings between the teams.
It was the first game for both teams at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, and both teams are right back at it tomorrow. Latvia plays Canada in the afternoon, followed by a France-Finland tilt.
"It was a tough game," said Martins Lavins. "They're a hard team to play against. We had great chances and knew eventually we would score, and we did. We just had to be patient. What a play by Marty Dzierkals on the penalty kill [to tie the game]!"
"We started the game the right way, but unfortunately we got that PP goal against," lamented French captain Sacha Treille. "That was tough, but we still had a chance to react at that point, and then it could have gone either way. It was a close game. We have to feel positive and keep going for the rest of the tournament. Their goalie played a great game, but still we can be better in front of the net and make it harder for him. It's still only the first game of the tournament."
It was a tame and cautious first period that was dominated by the drumbeats and the chanting of "Lat-vi-ja!" by the several thousand Latvian fans, who kept the atmosphere alive while teams played not wanting to make that first mistake.
But in due course France got on the board first. Jordann Perret brought the puck in over the line and it eventually came back to the point. Jules Boscq’s quick shot was tipped in front by Dylan Fabre at 15:02 to give the underdogs a 1-0 lead.
Later in the period Latvia had a great chance to equalize when France took two quick penalties, giving the Latvians a five-on-three for 16 seconds and almost four minutes of consecutive power-play time. But despite the advantage, the French penalty killers were sensational and teams headed to the dressing room with that 1-0 score still favouring the French.
The Latvians got a scare early in the second when a fluttering point shot form Pierre Crinon went all the way, hitting the post with Kristers Gudlevskis unaware of where it was. But the puck stayed out, and Latvia started to play with a little more desperation. But as Latvia increased the intensity, the French were able to match. The best chance came off the stick of Kevin Bozon who got the puck in the high slot and forced Gudlevskis to make a great save to keep it a 1-0 game.
When Bozon took an interference penalty, the game exploded into a frenzy of excitement. The French killed off his minor, but as he came out of the box the French created a four-on-two rush, and Bozon nearly made it 2-0.
Coming up ice, Toms Andersons then hit the post, and back down into the Latvia end again a mad scramble saw Pierre-Edouard Bellemare almost jam the puck in. It was wild few minutes that had the fans on the edge of their seats.
And then, the Latvians caught a break moments after incurring a penalty. Tim Bozon lost the puck in his own end, and Martins Dzierkals made a patient deke and fired the puck into the open net at 15:36 for a short-handed goal to make it 1-1.
The rest of the game was hard fought, but the Tralmaks goal tilted the ice in Latvia's favour, and they never looked back.
France vs Latvia - 2025 IIHF WM
OF