Czechia Defeats Latvia 4-2 in Thrilling World Junior Championship Matchup

Czechia Secures Group B Second Seed with Victory Over Latvia

Minneapolis, Minnesota – On New Year's Eve, December 31, 2025, Czechia defeated Latvia with a score of 4-2 in a Group B preliminary round game at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. The contest, held at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, saw Czechia rally after an early Latvian lead to secure a crucial win. This result positioned Czechia in second place in Group B, while Latvia finished in fourth place.

First Period Sees Early Latvian Lead and Czech Response

Latvia opened the scoring early in the first period with a power-play goal at the 6:00 mark. Kristers Ansons capitalized on a backdoor pass from Bruno Osmanis, beating Czechia goaltender Matyas Mařík to give Latvia a 1-0 lead. However, Czechia quickly responded. Tomáš Poletín evened the score at 10:04 by converting his own rebound. Just over a minute later, Adam Jiříček blasted a power-play one-timer past Latvian netminder Nils Maurins, giving Czechia a 2-1 lead that they carried into the first intermission.

Czechia Extends Lead in Second Period

The Czechs continued their offensive push in the second period. Early in the frame, Max Pšenička extended Czechia's lead to 3-1 when his shot deflected off a Latvian defenseman and found its way into the net. Throughout the game, Czechia demonstrated strong offensive pressure, outshooting Latvia significantly with a final count of 29-10. Latvian goaltender Nils Maurins made several key saves to keep his team in the game.

Latvia's Third Period Push and Empty-Netter Seals Czech Win

Latvia mounted a comeback attempt in the third period. Markuss Sieradzkis scored Latvia's second power-play goal, beating Mařík shortside to narrow the deficit to 3-2. Despite several opportunities for Latvia to tie the game, Czechia's defense held firm. In the final minutes, with Latvia's net empty, Václav Nestrašil scored an empty-net goal, securing the 4-2 victory for Czechia.

Tournament Implications for Both Teams

With this win, Czechia, coached by Patrik Augusta, concluded the preliminary round with eight points and secured the second seed in Group B. They are set to face Switzerland in the quarter-finals. Latvia, under coach Artis Abols, finished fourth in Group B and will advance to the quarter-finals to play against Sweden, the Group A leader.