Sweden is looking for a strong start against Latvia in the Olympic premiere
Team Sweden’s men’s team begins its Olympic race with a test against Latvia. Latvia is back in the Olympics after missing 2018. The two teams met in 2014, where Sweden won 5-3 thanks to multi-point matches from Daniel Sedin, Erik Karlsson, Daniel Alfredsson and Alex Edler. Sweden can not take Lativa lightly because they will come out hungry and try to take their fourth Olympic win ever.
Playing time: February 9, 2022 @ 20:10 PST / February 10, 2020 @ 12:10 AM EST
3 keys to victory for Sweden
Points early
As mentioned, the Lightning missed the recent Olympics, so they will get energy when the puck falls. Sweden must find a way to get on board early to try to kill all the early momentum that Latvia can try to build. The letters have some good forwards who can score goals like Rodrigo Abols and Kaspars Daugavins, so getting the first goal early is crucial.
Power Play must be powerful
During the 2018 Olympics, Team Sweden fought in the power game. They finished ninth overall in the tournament and scored two goals in 17 attempts. This game is a fantastic opportunity for Sweden to refine its power game. Special teams are a big part of the game, so look for players like Henrik Tömmernes, Mathias Bromé and Anton Lander to step up in powerplay and hopefully start the tournament successfully.
Related: Sweden’s captain Anton Lander is expected to play a major role at the Olympics
Despite Sweden’s offensive weapons, the success against Latvia in powerplay is not a given. During the 2021 World Cup, Latvia killed 18 of 19 power plays. They could to prevent Canada, USA and Finland from scoring goals with the extra man. As I said, this is a great opportunity for Sweden, but they will need to be sharp if they want success in powerplay.
Do not underestimate Latvia
Despite the fact that Sweden is a higher ranked the country, they must make sure that they take Latvia seriously to risk a repeat of what happened at the World Cup 2021. During the tournament, Sweden lost to Belarus and Denmark, which was a big reason why they did not make it to the quarterfinals. As I said, Latvia has some offensive ability, so Sweden must be careful not to be upset by a lower seed.
3 easier to watch
Rodrigo Ābols
The former Canucks 2016 seventh choice from 2016 makes a career year with Örebro HK in the Swedish Hockey League. Rodrigo Ābols, who was named captain of Örebro HK, has 25 points in 35 matches and enters the tournament and scores two goals and registers two assists in his last two matches. He was an important reason behind Latvia’s qualification for the Olympics and will make sure to make his mark on the world’s biggest stage.
Another part of the Ābols game that should be shown in full is his strength. At 6 feet-4, 205 pounds, he can use his size and strength to physically forcing opponents of the puck and drive the puck in the other direction. Sweden will need to match his physique if they want a chance to slow him down and limit his opportunities throughout the match.
Uvis Balinskis
Uvis Balinskis is expected to come with some attack from the blue line as the 25-year-old has scored 19 points in 38 matches for HC Litvinov in the Czech league. He has averaged over 20 minutes per game this season and has developed into HC Litvinov’s best defensive player. Based on his strong play this season and age, a good tournament can mean a shot at an NHL contract, so expect a strong tournament from the Ventspils native. Latvia will play a lot against him during this tournament, and he will play a significant role when these two teams meet.
Nikolai Yeliseyev
Nikolajs Jelisejevs is having a good year in the Continental Hockey League with Dinamo Riga. He has 20 points, including 13 goals in 29 games this season, and will be expected to produce something offensive for Latvia. A player with good speed and a good shot, Sweden needs to be focused when he is on the ice.
Olympic history
- 2006: Sweden 6 Latvia 1
- 2014: Sweden 5 Latvia 3
Prediction
Sweden is the better side and should win against the Latvians. They have a deeper squad, better goalkeeping and stronger offensive talent. As long as Sweden plays their game and does not miss the breaks at any time during the game, they should start the tournament with a win.
Adam is happy to join The Hockey Writers as part of the Seattle Kraken and Vancouver Canucks team. His work is also on https://www.area51sportsnetwork.com/ where he covers the Vancouver Giants in the Western Hockey League.