Latvia pulls off major upset at U-18 World Championship, beat USA for first time ever

USA has typically proven to be the gold standard at the IIHF U-18 Men’s World Hockey Championship.

They hold the record for gold medals (11) and total medals (21), with no team even close. But the Americans have failed to win gold for the third consecutive year, and won’t take home a medal of any kind for the first time since 2021, after falling 5-2 to Latvia in the quarterfinal on Wednesday.

It marked the first time Latvia has ever beaten the United States at this level, and just the first time the Latvians have ever qualified out of the round of eight. The Americans entered the game with a perfect 8-0 record against Latvia, outscoring them 59-11 all-time.

Latvia has remained in the top division ever since 2019, but nearly found themselves in the relegation round this year. Had it not been for an 8-1 win over Norway, Latvia would have finished last in Group A.

The Americans entered the game as the top-seeded team from the round robin, having finished with a tournament-leading 24 goals. Their goal differential of +18 was good for second, while Latvia had just 10 goals and a -4 GDF – with eight of those goals coming in one game.

Martins Klaucans scored his first of two goals in the first period, while Ricards Rutkis added a power-play tally in the second. Lukas Zajic gave the Americans some life at 48:39, while Victor Plante added a goal at 56:34. But a second goal from Klaucans, as well as one from Magnuss Avotins, ultimately allowed Latvia to pull off one of the biggest upsets this tournament has ever seen.

Earlier in the day, Canada lost 4-2 to Sweden, ending Canada’s gold medal streak after two years.

The United States won gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup earlier this season to kick off the U-18 season with a roster primarily constructed by USHL players.