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Blue Jackets Goalie Treats Underdog Latvia WJC Team

The underdog Team Latvia was treated to something special by a veteran of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Nick Horwat

Dec 15, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (90) looks on against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Dec 15, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (90) looks on against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images / James Guillory-Imagn Images
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Team Latvia has become one of the great underdog stories at this year’s World Junior Championship Tournament (WJC), and they were gifted some NHL treatment from a veteran Columbus Blue Jackets goalie. Elvis Merzlikins is a native of Riga, Latvia and before suiting up with the Blue Jackets, he represented his home country at the 2012 and 2013 WJC tournament.

The 30-year-old Blue Jackets netminder made sure to treat the current Latvian team in the midst of their impressive run. Merzlikins hooked up Team Latvia to a dinner at his favorite restaurant in Ottawa over the weekend.

According to team captain Peteris Bulans, Merlizkins even gave the team a call and gave them a little pep talk.

“That was unreal,” Bulans said. “He got to FaceTime us and tell us a speech. It was really motivational for us.”

They went on to stun Team Germany and advance to the quarter-final round.

Some of the youngsters on Team Latvia look up to a guy like Merzlikins as one of the very few players from that country playing in the NHL.

"I was really happy when i saw the message," goalie Linards Feldbergs said.

Before taking the comeback win over Germany, Latvia made it known they aren’t to be taken lightly. They defeated powerhouse Canada in a shootout on their home ice. Latvia doesn’t have a regulation win in the tournament yet, but they’ve done enough to stay alive in the tournament.

With a pair of overtime wins and a regulation loss, Team Latvia is set to take on Finland in a quarter-final matchup.

On the international stage, Latvia has regularly struggled against some of the sports most dominant countries. Their win over Canada was the first time Latvia ever defeated the Canadians in this tournament.

The tests won’t get any easier as Latvia plays on, but they’re taking things a game at a time and hoping to continue pulling off upsets.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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