The Latvian national ice hockey team finished their 2026 Deutschland Cup campaign in Düsseldorf with a perfect record, defeating Austria 6-2 on November 8 to claim the tournament title.
This victory followed a hard-fought 3-2 overtime win against Slovakia and a 3-1 result against host nation Germany, marking the second time in the country’s history that Latvia has won the prestigious event, according to the Latvian Hockey Federation (LHF).
Standings and rest periods before the final match
Entering the final match, the team led by head coach Harijs Vītoliņš sat at the top of the standings with five points from two games. Slovakia followed with four points, while Germany held three.
Austria entered the contest having lost both previous matches, including a 0-3 defeat to Germany and a 1-6 loss to Slovakia, managing only one goal across those appearances. Latvia faced a tight turnaround, playing their final match just 14 hours after their previous fixture, whereas Austria benefited from a longer rest period.
Opening victory against Slovakia
Latvia’s tournament began on November 5 with a narrow 3-2 overtime victory over Slovakia. Rihards Melnalksnis opened the scoring in the 7th minute after a solo run that started in the defensive zone.
Despite Latvia dominating the shot count in the second period—19 attempts to Slovakia’s eight—it was the Slovaks who equalized through Samuel Buček. Goaltender Gustavs Dāvis Grigals was named Latvia’s best player of the match, stopping 30 of 32 shots.
Tournament clincher against Austria
Latvia entered their final game against Austria on November 8 in a position to secure the cup with a win. By the midpoint of the game, Latvia held a 5-0 lead following a second goal from Krastenbergs and a strike from Rūdolfs Polcs. The scoring sequence in the first two periods included power-play contributions from Gavars and Krastenbergs, with Toms Andersons providing assists.
Although Austria clawed back two goals through Benjamin Baumgartner and a second-period effort from the power play, Latvia maintained control. Raimonds Vītoliņš added a final goal in the third period to finalize the 6-2 scoreline.
The LHF confirmed that the team finished the tournament with three wins from three games. The match statistics saw Latvia register 30 shots to Austria’s 31, with Grigals facing the Austrian attack. Toms Andersons was recognized as Latvia’s best player of the match, while Benjamin Baumgartner received the honor for Austria.
“Mums ir jauni puiši. Nedomāju, ka viņi ir apmierināti ar padarīto. Vairāk nekā puse sastāva ir debitanti savās konkrētajās lomās, līdz ar to viņiem joprojām ir ko pierādīt,” said Harijs Vītoliņš.
Roster composition and player availability for the final match
For the final match against Austria, the team was without Rodrigo Ābols and Kristiāns Rubīns, who returned to their respective club duties. The roster for the 2026 campaign included players from leagues across Europe, including Switzerland, Finland, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, and Sweden.
Historical context of the Deutschland Cup
The Deutschland Cup has been held since 1987, and this year marked the 37th edition of the tournament. Latvia’s previous success in the competition came during the COVID-19 pandemic when the tournament featured a limited field of only three teams. Since 2022, Latvia and Austria have met ten times, with Austria winning only twice, both instances occurring during World Championship matches.
Latvija pārspēja Austriju, bet pirms tam zaudēja Slovākijai un Vācijai, ierindojoties trešajā vietā. Following the conclusion of the event in Düsseldorf, the Latvian team is scheduled to participate in the Kaufland Cup in Spišská Nová Ves, Slovakia, in December.
Keep reading
