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[Erik C.]

Relegation Round

January 3, 2013
6:00 AM Eastern
Ufa Sports Palace, Ufa, Russia

Television:

Coach: Ernest Bokros

Team Roster

#	Player Name	Pos.	NHL Rights
12	Emil Bagin	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
5	David Bajanik	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
18	Andrej Bires	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
24	Richard Buri	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
11	Peter Ceresnak	Defense	New York Rangers
19	Marko Dano	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
27	Dominik Fujerik	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
10	Denis Hudec	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
9	Milan Kolena	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
28	Karol Korim	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
16	Patrik Luza	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
29	Matus Matis	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
13	Tomas Mikus	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
25	Bruno Mraz	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
14	Richard Mraz	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
2	Adam Nagy	Goalie	2013 Draft Eligible
21	Tomas Nechala	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
26	Branislav Rapac	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
20	Martin Reway	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
30	Patrik Romancik	Goalie	2013 Draft Eligible
6	Tomas Rusina	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
1	Richard Sabol	Goalie	2013 Draft Eligible
17	Michael Uhrik	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible

Coach: Leonids Tamblijevs

Team Roster

#	Player Name	Pos.	NHL Rights
23	Toms Andersons	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
8	Edmunds Augstkalns	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
21	Teodors Blugers	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
10	Rihards Bukarts	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
17	Nikolajs Jelisejevs	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
28	Nikita Jevpalovs	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
13	Edgars Kulda	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
26	Edgars Kurmis	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
12	Arturs Kuzmenkovs	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
18	Kriss Lipsbergs	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
11	Roberts Lipsbergs	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
30	Elvis Merzlikins	Goalie	2013 Draft Eligible
1	Vadims Miscuks	Goalie	2013 Draft Eligible
2	Kristaps Nimanis	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
16	Karlis Ozolins	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
25	Ivars Punnenovs	Goalie	2013 Draft Eligible
29	Lauris Rancevs	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
5	Rinalds Rosinskis	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
19	Arturs Sevcenko	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
4	Edgars Siksna	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
15	Andris Siksnis	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
14	Patriks Skuratovs	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
7	Pauls Zvirbulis	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible

This point has been edited by Erik C.: 03 January 2013 - 01:01 AM

[Erik C.]

Slovakia stays in the Top Division for the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey U20 Ice Hockey World Championship in Malmö, Sweden, after edging Latvia 5-3.

It was a tight game between the Slovaks and the underdogs from the Baltic nation. Latvia outshot Slovakia 40-27 but Slovak goalkeeper Adam Nagy shone with 37 saves while Andrej Bires and Marko Dano each scored a pair of goals.

Karlis Ozolins opened the scoring for Latvia after just 86 seconds of play but after a shot from the blueline from Richard Mraz, Bires scored on the rebound at 14:03 just a few seconds after the end of a Slovak man advantage.

Midway through the game Slovakia netted two goals within a span of less than three minutes. First Tomas Mikus hit the back of the net, then Dano capitalized on a Slovak power play.

Latvian coach Leonids Tambijevs pulled his goalkeeper Elvis Merzlikins and brought in Ivars Punnenovs. His team reacted in the third period and seemed to be back on track after goals from Nikita Jevpalovs at 5:14 and Edgars Kulda at 10:22.

However, the Slovaks regain the lead with Bires’ 4-3 goal with 5:25 left in regulation time that turned out to become the game-winning goal. With 13 seconds left on the clock Dano also scored his second goal into an empty net.

Thanks to the win Slovakia will remain in the Top Division and tomorrow’s game against Finland will become a match for seventh place at the tournament.

Latvia and Germany will battle it out for ninth place at 15:00 at the Sports Palace. The loser of that game will be relegated to Division I.

Last year Latvia saved its berth in the Top Division by sending down Denmark while Germany was promoted from Division I last year.

From the IIHF site