The LHF has published a list of 33 candidates, which does not include goalkeeper Jānis Kalniņš or striker Mārtiņš Karsums. Goalkeeper Elvis Merzlikkin, who is expected to grow his family in the near future, informed the National Hockey League (NHL) players about not playing in the LHF in the spring. Also, the candidates are not previously on the list of candidates for Mikēlis Rēdlihs, Krister Gudļevskis, Guntis Galviņš, Gints Meijas, Gunārs Skvorcovs, Māris Bičevskis, Oskars Bārtulis, Edgars Kuldas, Nikolajs Jeļisejevs, Nikita Jevpalovs and several other candidates for the national team.
The training camp “Kurbads” in the ice hall will continue from Monday, when the candidates from the Riga “Dinamo” team, as well as the goalkeeper Ivars Punnenovs will join the national team. But at the end of next week – on August 20 and 21 – two test matches with the Norwegian national team will be held at “Arena Riga”.
Over the next week, all other candidates in the team will gradually join the team. Currently, several other Latvian hockey players who are looking for a club or preparing for the season abroad are also participating in the training process.
According to the information at the disposal of LETA, on August 17 Rihards Marenis could be added to the sample, a day later Teodors Blugers, but on August 19 – Miks Indrašis, Renārs Krastenbergs, Deniss Smirnovs, Sandis Smons and Uvis Balinskis. The next day, August 20, Rodrigo Ābols could join the team, but a day later also Roberts Bukarts and Jānis Jaks.
It is not yet clear on which dates Kaspars Daugaviņš, who continues to recover from Covid-19, Rūdolfs Balcers and Zemgus Girgensons could join.
Group E games of the qualification tournament will take place from August 26 to 29 in “Arena Riga”. The national teams of Latvia, France, Italy and Hungary will compete for the only ticket to Beijing.
The Latvian team will start the tournament on August 26 at 7.30 pm with a fight against Italy. A day later, a match against Hungary is planned for Latvian hockey players at 8 pm, but on August 29, Latvia will end the tournament with a duel against France, which will start at 5 pm.
The opening game of the tournament will be on August 26 at 15.30 between the French and Hungarian national units. France and Italy will play on August 27 at 4 pm, but Hungary and Italy will meet on August 29 at 1 pm.
This will be the first tournament for the Latvian hockey team led by the new coach Harijs Vītoliņš.
In parallel with the Olympic qualifying tournament in Riga, eight more national teams will distribute two tickets to the Beijing Olympics. In Group D, Slovaks, Belarusians, Austrians and Poles will meet in Bratislava. In addition to Norwegians, Danes, South Koreans and Slovenes will also take part in Oslo. Only group winners will win the start of the Olympic Games.
The Latvian national team had participated in four consecutive Winter Olympics – in 2002 in Salt Lake City, in 2006 in Turin, in 2010 in Vancouver and in 2014 in Sochi, but no ticket to the 2018 Pyongyang Olympics was won.
Participation in the Olympics is already open to Canada, Russia, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, the United States, Germany, Switzerland and hostess China.
List of Latvian national hockey team candidates for the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games qualification tournament:
Goalkeepers: Ivars Punnenovs, Artūrs Šilovs, Mareks Mitens, Rūdolfs Lazdiņš;
Guards: Ralfs Freibergs, Oskars Cibuļskis, Kristaps Zīle, Kristiāns Rubīns, Sandis Smons, Kristaps Sotnieks, Uvis Balinskis, Kārlis Čukste, Artūrs Kulda, Jānis Jaks, Nikita Matejko;
Attackers: Theodors Blugers, Zemgus Girgensons, Rūdolfs Balcers, Lauris Dārziņš, Miks Indrašis, Andris Džeriņš, Rodrigo Ābols, Oskars Batņa, Deniss Smirnovs, Rihards Marenis, Renārs Krastenbergs, Mārtiņš Dzierkals, Eduards Tralmaks, Haralds Tralmaks, Haralds , Ronald King.
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