Insider Draft Video: Frederik Anderson (Goalie, Denmark) - Latvia v Denmark 5:3

Insider Draft Video: Frederik Anderson (Goalie, Denmark) - Latvia v Denmark 1:0

Daugavins, a veteran at 22

Daugavins, a veteran at 22
Young Latvian part of new, post-Irbe wave
IIHF May 14, 2010

Kaspars Daugavins first came to international prominence at the 2006 World Championship in his native Riga. Only 17 years old at the time, he played just a small role on the Latvian national team, but as he has developed, he has become the cornerstone of the team’s future in the generation following Arturs Irbe, Sandis Ozolins, and the late Sergejs Zoltoks.

“We have a lot of young guys coming into the national team,” Daugavins said the other day after the team beat Italy, 5-2, to advance to the Qualification Round. “We now have maybe only six or seven guys here from the team when I first started. I think we’re a stronger team now because we’re younger and faster.”

Daugavins is central to the team’s development. He played for Latvia at three U18 events in Division I and demonstrated even as a young teen he was a top prospect in Latvia. In fact, in 2006 he played at the U18, U20, and World Championship and was even considered for the Olympic team.

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Kaspars Daugavins and Latvia Keep quarterfinals hopes alive with 5-0 victory over Norway

Latvia blanks Norway
Masalskis gets shutout as Latvians stay in Group F race

IIHF May 16, 2010

With a 5-0 win over Norway on Sunday, Latvia kept alive its slim hopes of making the quarterfinals. The Latvians exploded for five third-period goals, two by Janis Sprukts.

The Latvians close out the Qualification Round against the Czechs on Monday, while Norway faces Group F-leading Switzerland that day. Norway, Latvia, and the Czechs are currently tied with three points apiece.

This game didn't provide thrilling hockey for the 1,925 in attendance, unless more than two periods of scoreless action kept you on pins and needles as a fan of either nation. Through two periods, the Latvians and the Norwegians played like they were afraid to lose, but one team had to.

"We knew this was an important game for both teams, so nobody wanted to risk anything on offence," said Latvia's Kaspars Daugavins. "Everybody played smart, defensive hockey, no crazy passes in the neutral zone, so it wasn’t a lot of fun to watch."

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Binghamton Senator Kaspars Daugavins & Team Latvia Moving To Next Round

Sens duo moves onward at worlds
Karlsson, Swedes drop preliminary round finale to Czechs
Rob Brodie Ottawa Senators May 13, 2010

For a pair of Ottawa Senators, it's on to bigger and better things.

But for a third, not so much at the 2010 IIHF World Hockey Championship in Germany.

Despite a 2-1 loss to the Czech Republic earlier today in Mannheim, Senators defenceman Erik Karlsson and Sweden finished on top of Group C. And Sens forward Peter Regin and surprising Denmark, which wound up third in Group D, will join the Swedes in the next phase of the competition, which begins Friday in Cologne and Mannheim.

Joining Karlsson and Regin in the qualification round is Binghamton Senators forward Kaspars Daugavins and Latvia, which claimed third place in Group B. The top three in each of four groups moved forward in the tournament, while the bottom teams now play in the relegation round. Shockingly, that group includes Sens forward Nick Foligno and the United States, which went winless in three preliminary round starts.

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