Latvia has won its first men’s Olympic hockey game since 2014, beating Germany 4-3 after trailing at multiple points.
Germany will close out the round-robin against the United States on Sunday, while Latvia will take on Denmark.
The Germans needed 23 seconds to score on Thursday, and it took them 2:06 to break the deadlock on Saturday. Lukas Reichel would score the first of two first-period goals, with Lukas Kalble tallying the other with about three minutes to go. But Dans Locmelis would answer back both times, scoring once in the first and again in the second to make it a 2-2 hockey game.
Latvia lost its opening game and didn’t want this one to get away from them, either. Third-period goals from Eduards Tralmaks and Renars Krastenbergs put the pressure back on the Germans, who needed their biggest stars to finally break through again. Tim Stutzle would make that happen with about two minutes to go, with his shot hitting a Latvian defender in front to make it 4-3. Unfortunately for Germany, it wasn’t enough as Latvia managed to pull off the comeback victory to spice up Group C.
Here’s a look at the top performers from Saturday’s bout:
#49 Lukas Kalble, D: The two-time ECHL champion built a reputation for being one of Germany’s smartest offensive defensemen at the past two World Championships. So it wasn’t too surprising that he had two points in the first period of this game. Without that, the Germans would have been in a tough spot because Latvia started to outwork their opponents in the second half of this game. This felt like a significantly more impactful performance than his effort against the Danes.
#18 Tim Stutzle, C (Ottawa Senators): Germany needed someone to score desperately in the end and he made it happen. It felt like once the Germans realized this wasn’t going their way, that’s when Stutzle played his best hockey. He scored to make it 4-3, and then had a couple of other really close looks in the final minutes. Draisaitl was definitely better than him today, but Stutzle still played well, overall.
#29 Leon Draisaitl, C (Edmonton Oilers): As expected, Draisaitl was Germany’s top shot generator, creating quality chances from all over the ice. There came a point where he started cheating on plays, using his speed and size to his advantage. He didn’t score but the puck was in the offensive zone significantly more than the alternative when he was on the ice. How good? He has 10 shots, to be exact.
#3 Alberts Smits, D (2026 NHL Draft): I liked Smits’ first game, but this was even better. It felt like he was more in control and handled the pace a bit better against Germany than against the United States. His confidence was fully visible, too – it felt like I was watching him back in the Liiga prior to the World Juniors, where nothing seemed to faze him. Playing against men all the time in Finland is one thing, but going up against elite NHL talent is another and I feel like the 18-year-old has handled the pressure well.
#9 Renars Krastenbergs, LW: I’m a Krastenbergs fan. I liked him in the OHL and I thought he was good against the United States. He scored a goal and an assist today, with his third-period marker putting the game out of reach for Germany. Krastenbergs is quick, has some skill and loves to shoot, and that was all on display today.
#11 Dans Locmelis, C (Boston Bruins): With two power-play goals, Locmelis was Latvia’s most important player today. That wasn’t entirely surprising – the AHL standout was so good for Latvia at the 2025 World Championship and has carried that momentum into his first pro hockey season. Locmelis is a confident shooter who sees the ice really well, and isn’t afraid of getting a puck on net at any cost. Today, it paid off.
#22 Sandis Vilmanis, LW (Florida Panthers): Vilmanis hasn’t made many friends the past few weeks. But his no-nonsense, all-motor playstyle has opened up opportunities for his linemates throughout the tournament. He didn’t score today, but he had two assists and what felt like a boatload of assists. He has never been a key contributor at the men’s national team level, but Vilmanis is playing with tons of confidence after earning a promotion to the NHL earlier this season.
PRESENTED BY DAILY FACEOFF’S OLYMPIC COVERAGE
Catch Every Goal from the 2026 Milan Games! The 2026 Milan Games are almost here, and the world’s best men’s and women’s hockey players are ready to battle for gold! The Nation Network is bringing you every game, every jaw-dropping save, and all the drama with live reaction streams and full recaps. Don’t miss a moment of Olympic hockey action—men’s, women’s, and everything in between—on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel. Subscribe now and stay on top of every play!
