Co-hosts Latvia snatched last place in the quarterfinals of the Ice Hockey World Championships in Tampere and Riga. The Balts won 4:3 (0:0, 2:1, 1:2, 1:0) after extra time against Switzerland, who were already the winners of group B in Riga, and thus maintained fourth place.
The 4: 1 (3: 0, 0: 1, 1: 0) against Norway was of no use to the Olympic third Slovakia. Latvia, who meet the USA in the first knockout round on Thursday, took the lead twice through Ralfs Freibergs (22) and Rodrigo Abols (27), but Germany’s quarter-final opponents Switzerland turned things around with goals from Kevin Fiala (27). ), Marco Miranda (48th) and record national player Andres Ambühl (54th) the game. However, Iserlohner Kaspars Daugavins (55th) forced the extension and thus the necessary point for the hosts. Rudolfs Balcers then scored in overtime (63′).
Canada had previously secured second place and a duel with defending champions Finland by beating the Czech Republic 3-1 (1-0, 0-1, 2-0). Peyton Krebs (20th), Tyler Myers (45th) and Lawson Crouse (60th) scored for the record world champion.
In Group A in Tampere, the Americans took first place thanks to a 4-3 (1-1, 2-0, 0-2, 1-0) win against Sweden after extra time – with a historic feat: the first US team to win they seven games in a row at a World Cup tournament. Nick Bonino (17th), Conor Garland (34th), Lane Hutson (40th) and Dylan Samberg (62nd) scored for the USA. Leo Carlsson (10’/55′) and Timothy Liljegren (58′) had put Sweden into overtime.
Shortly before the end of regular time there was a painful incident: US goalscorer Garland went through with a shot and hit Lucas Raymond in the face – the Swede lost a tooth, which he picked off the ice shortly afterwards. The Tre Kronor meet the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. World and Olympic champions Finland finished third in the preliminary round with a 7-1 (3-0, 3-0, 1-1) thrashing of Denmark.