Adam Sykora scores first of the tournament as Slovakia takes down Latvia in a shootout

While it is only the fourth day of the preliminary round at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, the second and final game of the day between Slovakia and Latvia had plenty of importance in terms of playoff implications.

Both Slovakia and Latvia came into Friday's game sitting at 0-0-0-2 with zero points. The winner of this game, regardless if it's in regulation (three points) or overtime/shootout (two points), will have a significant advantage in their push for the fourth and final playoff spot in Group A.

Latvia got on the board first with nearly ten minutes left in the first period. On the powerplay, Boston Bruins prospect Dans Locmelis picked up a loose puck and fired it past Slovak netminder Simon Latkoczy to give Latvia their first lead of the tournament.

Lativa gets on the board first! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/QSB1Txe3Vp— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 12, 2022

About eight minutes later, New York Rangers prospect Adam Sykora scored his first of the tournament in what was a highlight reel goal. Sykora brought the puck into Latvia's zone, toe dragged around the defender, which set up a 2-on-1 with Jakub Demek. Sykora passed it across to Demek, who gave it back to Sykora and he found the back of the net, tying the game up at 1-1.

Adam Sykora ties it up for Slovakia! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/QU2zSDv8tQ— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 12, 2022

Nearly ten minutes into the middle frame, Slovak forward Roman Faith brought the puck behind the net to wrap it in, but it was stopped by Bruno Bruveris. The puck then hit off a player in front of Latvia's net, where 2023 projected top-ten pick Dalibor Dvorsky picked it up and put it past a screened Bruveris to give Slovakia their first lead of the game, 2-1.

SLOVAKIA takes the lead! Dalibor Dvorsky makes it 2-1 over @lhf_lv #SVKLAT #WorldJuniors @HockeySlovakia pic.twitter.com/qoLklheTY2— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) August 12, 2022

A few mintues later, Latvia tied game up. Baie-Comeau Drakkar forward Niks Fenenko skated into Slovakia's zone at near top speed and when going towards the corner to go behind the net, he threw the puck in front and it somehow banked in off of Simon Latkoczy to tie the game at 2-2. It's safe to say that Latkoczy would like to have that one back.

That shot from 🇱🇻's Niks Fenenko had👀#WorldJuniors | @DrakkarBAC pic.twitter.com/g1gMMUkaLa— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) August 12, 2022

The game headed for overtime tied at 2-2, but 3-on-3 solved nothing and for the second time in the tournament, a game went to a shootout. Adam Sykora had a chance right at the end of the extra frame, and even thought he scored, raising his hands in the air, but the Bruno Bruveris came across in time to make the save.

Slovakia shot first and Roman Faith made an incredible move to fake out Bruveris to give his nation the lead in the shootout. Latvia tied the shootout at 1-1 in the second round when Darels Dukurs found the back of the net. In the fifth round, Matej Kaslik went forehand-backhand and slid the puck back past Bruveris to give Slovakia the lead and ultimately the win.

Both teams will now have a day off before returning to action on Sunday when Slovakia will face Finland and Latvia will battle Czechia.

Players of the Game

Slovakia: Adam Sykora
Latvia: Niks Fenenko

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