#Swedish #champion #Dzierkals #join #national #team #tomorrow #Abols #Monday #Hockey #Sportacentrs.com
The first Swedish champion from Latvia, Mārtiņš Dzierkals, will arrive in Riga tonight, but tomorrow he will hold the first training session together with the national team, national team general manager Rūdolfs Kalvītis revealed to the Sportacentrs.com portal. The decision to participate in one of the test matches against Norway will rest on the shoulders of the coaches.
On the other hand, Swedish vice-champion Rodrigo Ābola is expected to join the Latvian national team on Monday, Kalvītis said. The hockey players will have ice training on Monday and Tuesday, a day off is scheduled for Wednesday, and the team will leave for the Czech Republic on Thursday. World Championship the opening match is scheduled for Saturday against the Polish national team.
The 27-year-old Dzierkals joined “Skelleftea” before the season and became the first Latvian to win the Swedish gold. The forward scored three points in 45 regular season games and managed to repeat the feat in 16 playoff games. In the semi-final series against “Frolunda”, it was Dzierkals who scored the winning goal of the seventh game.
28-year-old Abols joined a new team in the off-season. The center forward was the most productive player of the silver medalist “Rogle” in the playoffs – 5+7 in 15 games. In the playoff, only Jere Innala (11+4) of “Frolunda” Finn was more productive than him.
The Latvian national team will play the last test matches on May 3 and 4, hosting Norway in Riga.
Latvian national team candidates
PositionPlayerYearClubStatisticsPČGoalkeeperKristers Gudlevskis1992.Bremerhaven (Germany)45; 91.4%5Elvis Merzlikins1994.Blue Jackets (NHL)41; 89.7%5Eriks Vitols2001.KeuPa (Finland-2)33; 90.4%DefenderOskars Cibulskis1988.Blue Fox (Denmark)38; 2+119 Ralf Freiberg 1991. Mountfield (Czech Republic) 52; 1+87 Jānis Jaks1995.Litvinov (Czech Republic)44; 4+256 Kristaps Zile1997.Litvinov (Czech Republic)50; 4+75Roberts Mamcic1995.Nove Zamky (Slovakia)45; 7+192 Kārlis Čukste1997. Brynas (Sweden-2) 49; 0+132 Arvils Bergmanis1999.Alaska Fairbanks (NCAA)31; 2+172Sandis Smons1999La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland-2)8; 1+01 Markuss Komuls1998.Trois-Rivieres (ECHL)48; 2+5Roberts Kalkis1998.Marseille (France)43; 1+10 Forward Andris Džeriņš 1988. Blue Fox (Denmark) 31; 5+1412 Kaspars Daugavins 1988. Mihalovce (Slovakia) 47; 11+4311Roberts Bukarts1990. Vitkovice (Czech Republic)51; 14+710 Miks Indrašis1990. Brynas (Sweden-2) 52; 26+3210 Rodrigo Abols 1996. Rogle (Sweden) 50; 14+127 Rihards Bukarts1995. Vitkovice (Czech Republic) 18; 7+46 Oskars Batņa1995. Jukurit (Finland)59; 20+184 Mārtiņš Dzierkals1997.Skelleftea (Sweden)45; 2+14Rihards Marenis1993.Nybro (Sweden-2)45; 13+203Renārs Krastenbergs1998.99ers (Austria)30; 13+93Dans Lochmelis2004.UMass (NCAA)30; 7+71 Harald Egle1996.Liptovski Mikulas (Slovakia)49; 11+28 Filips Buncis1997.Vastervik (Sweden-2)52; 9+8Eduard Tralmaks1997.Rytiri Kladno (Czech Republic)52; 21+11Oskars Lapinskis2002.Tigers (Switzerland)52; 3+1 Felix Gavars2002.St. Lawrence (NCAA)39; 13+12 Raivis Ansons2002. Penguins (AHL) 34; 2+5 Martins Laviņš2003.New Hampshire (NCAA)35; 5+9
Latvian national team test match calendar
DateGameResult4. April Latvia – Austria3:2 PMApril 5 Latvia – Austria3:2 PMApril 10 Latvia – Finland2:3 PApril 11 Latvia – Finland2:3April 26 Switzerland – Latvia5:1April 27 Switzerland – Latvia4:0May 3. Latvia – Norway4. May Latvia – Norway
