Feature Photo: Getty Images
They aren’t the ones currently wearing the colours of their country at the world juniors, but Latvian-born NHL players Teddy Blueger and Zemgus Girgensons are happy to live vicariously through the players on this year’s Latvian U20 team in a victory that still has the world talking.Latvia pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the junior hockey tournament when they bested Canada 3-2 in a shootout on Dec. 27 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.
Latvian goaltender Linards Feldbergs, who plays for the QMJHL's Sherbrooke Phoenix, made 54 saves.
With no game scheduled for the Vancouver Canucks that night, Blueger, in his seventh NHL season and second with Vancouver, had the opportunity to tune in for the game.
“I was happy that they won,” said the native of Riga, Latvia, who played in the tournament in 2011 and 2012. “It was a fun game to watch. I thought they battled and competed really hard and made some big plays at the end to tie the game. So, just really happy for the guys.
“It’s an exciting time in their lives to beat Canada in Canada at the world juniors – it is a big deal.”
Girgensons, who is in his first season with the Tampa Bay Lightning and played alongside Bleuger at the world juniors for Latvia on two occasions, had a similar reaction.
“It was definitely unexpected, but I just felt proud of the younger guys being able to get that done. It is not an easy tournament and to be able to get the win against Canada is a great accomplishment.”
To put the magnitude of the upset in context, Canada beat Latvia 10-0 at last year’s event and had outscored Latvia 41-4 in their previous four world junior meetings. It was the first time Latvia had defeated Canada in the history of the tournament.
The good times didn’t end there for Latvia.
After a 5-1 loss to the United States, Latvia bounced back with a spirited 4-3 overtime win against Germany.
By recording at least one point, Latvia, who lost 3-0 to Finland in their last preliminary round game, secured fourth in Group A to earn a spot in the quarterfinal where they lost in a close 3-2 game against Sweden.
“I think this group having such a tremendous success in tournament shows the younger kids that we are right there with some of the top players,” said Girgensons, who also hails from Riga.
Ice hockey continues to be Latvia’s most popular sport.
Currently, there are slightly more than 7,800 registered players in the country with a population of 1.84 million.
Blueger and Girgensons hope Latvia showing at the world juniors will serve as another inspirational moment for youth back home to take up the game.
“It shows what hard work, teamwork, and commitment to playing the right way can do,” said Blueger. “It was very impressive how many shots Latvia blocked [against Canada] and how selfless each guy was.”
“One thing that has always stood out about the Latvian kids is the work ethic,” added Girgensons. “You can’t teach that, and it shows in this [world juniors] group. They are proud of their compete level. I think it’s very impressive our country has been able to produce the talent it has with the population of our country.”
Regardless of how the rest of the tournament plays out for the Latvian side, two of its biggest fans believe the performance has already done a world of good for their homeland and its passion for hockey.
“I think it just shows that Latvia can compete with anyone,” noted Blueger.
Girgensons, who left Latvia to play junior hockey in the United States in 2009-10, has considered taking on a mentorship role in his native land one day.
“It’s something I have thought about doing after I’m done playing. I would love to help the younger kids back home.”
