Other events in Baltic States

The Latvian national men's hockey team will leave for the 2015 IIHF World Championship in the Czech Republic with seven newcomers to the team who have never played at the championship before, informs LETA.

In total, the national team includes 26 players – three goalkeepeers, eight defensemen, and fifteen forwards.

The Latvian Hockey Federation's President Kirovs Lipmans has tasked the team with finishing in tenth place or higher, although Lipmans would like the team to make it to the quarterfinals.

The Latvian team's skipper at the World Championships will be Kaspars Daugavins. Lauris Darzins and Janis Sprukts are his assistants.

Forward Miks Indrasis, who injured his shoulder in one of the exhibition games before the championship, is back on roster. Although Indrasis has not yet fully recovered, the team's head coach Aleksandrs Belavskis hopes that Indrasis will be able to play. Belavskis also hopes that National Hockey League goalie Kristers Gudlevskis and forward Ronalds Kenins will be able to play for the team.

The 32-year-old Makims Sirokovs, who has been in Switzerland for the past two seasons, joins the national team for the first time. The 23-year-old goalkeeper Janis Kalnins, who has played exceptionally well at the exhibition matches, is another newcomer.

The other newcomers are forwards Rodrigo Abols, Nikita Jevpalovs, Lauris Bajaruns, Gunars Skvorcovs, and goalie Renars Demiters.

The national team played eight exhibition games before the championship, winning three.

The national team includes three goalkeepers – Ervins Mustukovs (Aalborg "Pirates", Denmark), Edgars Masalskis ("Ambri-Piotta", Switzerland) and Janis Kalnins (Dunaujvarosi "Acelbikak", Hungary).

Defensemen: Kristaps Sotnieks, Oskars Cibulskis, Krisjanis Redlihs, Aleksandrs Jerofejevs (all – Riga "Dinamo"), Maris Jass (Znojmo "Orli", Czech Republic), Maksims Sirokovs (Martigny "Red Ice", Switzerland), Guntis Galvins (Bolzano "Foxes", Italy) and Renars Demiters ("Astana", Kazakhstan).

Forwards: Rodrigo Abols ("Riga"), Andris Dzerins, Martins Cipulis, Roberts Bukarts, Lauris Darzins, Mikelis Redlihs, Kaspars Saulietis, Gunars Skvorcovs, Miks Indrasis (all – Riga "Dinamo"), Koba Jass (Liberec "Bili Tygri", Czech Republic), Lauris Bajaruns (Horsholm "Rungsted", Denmark), Janis Sprukts ("Fribourg-Gotteron", Switzerland), Armands Berzins (Bruneck "Val Pusteria", Italy), Kaspars Daugavins (Moscow "Dynamo", Russia), Nikita Jevpalovs (Blainville-Boisbriand "Armada", Canada).

As reported, Zemgus Girgensons of the NHL hockey club Buffalo "Sabres" will not participate in the World Championships due to an injury.

A number of other leading Latvian hockey players are also missing this year's championships – defensemen Oskars Bartulis, Arturs Kulda and Georgijs Pujacs, and forward Martins Karsums. Also not playing – defenseman Jekabs Redlihs, forwards Herberts Vasiljevs, Juris Stals and Maris Bicevskis.

In the meantime, it is still unknown whether NHL players Gudlevskis and Kenins will be able to help the team at the championships.

The Hockey World Championships this year will be held in Prague and Ostrava from May 1 to May 17. Latvia is in Group A together with Sweden, Canada, Czech Republic, Switzerland, France, Germany, and Austria.