Latvian hockey team Photo: LHF
The test match for the Latvian men’s hockey team scheduled for the Beijing Olympic Committee on Saturday has been canceled. The game was scheduled for 13:45 Latvian time. Both teams had several positive Covid-19 tests after arriving in Beijing, but the game was canceled for other reasons at the discretion of the organizers.
Instead, Latvian hockey players will have an ice training session. The Latvian men’s hockey team is not yet training in full force in Beijing, with the strikers Rodrigo Ābol and Andris Jeriņš missing from the hockey players hosting the Olympic Games. It is hoped that both attackers of the center will return to the national team in the near future. Defender Roberts Mamčics and goalkeeper Jānis Kalniņš, who could arrive in Beijing early next week, have not yet joined the Latvian national team.
On Monday, at 11.15 Latvian time, Harijs Vītoliņš’s subordinates will compete with the Danish team in the second of the two test matches. The Latvian national team will open the Olympic Games tournament on February 10, when it will meet with Sweden, a day later it will compete with Finland, and on February 13 it will fight Slovakia. The Beijing Olympics will take place from February 4 to 20.
Composition of the Latvian national team for participation in the Beijing Olympic Games:
Goalkeepers: Ivars Punnenovs (Langnava Tigers, Switzerland), Jānis Kalniņš (Lakers Lakers, Sweden), Kristers Gudlevskis (Brynas IF, Gävle, Sweden);
Guards: Oskars Cibuļskis, Ralfs Freibergs, Kristaps Zīle, Patriks Ozols (all – Riga “Dinamo”), Jānis Jaks (“Sochi”, Russia), Uvis Jānis Balinskis (Litvinov “Verva”, Czech Republic), Nauris Sējējs (La Chaux-de -Fund ”, Switzerland), Robert Mammitch (PSG Berani, Zlin, Czech Republic);
Attackers: Lauris Dārziņš, Nikolai Yeliseev, Martins Karsums, (both – Riga “Dinamo”), Miks Indrashis, Richard Bucharest (both – Vladivostok “Admiral, Russia”), Rodrigo Ābols (“Orebro”, Sweden), Andris Džeriņš (Linz “Black Wings”) ”, Austria), Oskar Batni (Mikeli Jukurit, Finland), Deniss Smirnov (Geneva Servette, Switzerland), Renar Krastenberg (Villacher SV, Austria), Mārtiņš Dzierkals (Pilsen Škoda, Czech Republic), Kaspars Daugavins (Bern, Switzerland), Ronald King (Lausanne, Switzerland).
