Locmelis scores twice, Latvia rallies to stun Germany

Dans Locmelis scored twice, including the first of three straight goals for Team Latvia in a 4-3 win against Team Germany at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 at Rho Arena in Milan on Saturday.

Latvia won in men's hockey at a Winter Games for the first time since defeating Team Switzerland 3-1 in the qualification playoff of the Sochi Olympics on Feb. 18, 2014. It lost 5-1 to Team USA in its Olympic opener on Thursday.

"I think last game, a lot of guys haven't played against guys of that caliber," Latvia forward Zemgus Girgensons said. "It was probably a little more nervousness. Today was more what we want to see. I still don't think it was our best."

Girgensons had two assists, Renars Krastenbergs had a goal and an assist, and Arturs Silovs made 26 saves for Latvia (1-0-1-0), which will play its final game of the preliminary round in Group C against Team Denmark on Sunday (1:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, CNBC, ICI Télé, CBC Gem).

Lukas Kalble had a goal and an assist, Tim Stutzle and Lukas Reichel scored, and Philipp Grubauer made 18 saves for Germany (1-0-1-0), which plays the United States on Sunday (3:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, USA, ICI Télé, CBC Gem, TSN, CBC).

"I don't really know any pro athlete that likes to lose," Germany coach Harold Kreis said. "Ours don't, either, and especially when you have a good game. If you play bad, and you think, 'OK, the opponent was better than us today,' you can live with that. But I thought we were better today, with all respect to Team Latvia."

GAMECENTER SUMMARY: Germany-Latvia

Reichel put Germany ahead 1-0 on its second shot on goal, over Silovs' blocker on a breakaway, at 2:06 of the first period.

Locmelis, a forward prospect for the Boston Bruins, tied it 1-1 on a power play at 15:48, finishing a pass from Girgensons at the right post.

"Definitely feels good," Locmelis said. "It feels good to get the first one. It was nice to play against the U.S. in the last game to get the feeling, like NHL-level or even better than NHL-level. So, it was way easier today. We were almost used to the high, high pace."

Kalble took 1:08 to restore the lead for Germany, making it 2-1 at 16:56. Frederik Tiffels intercepted a pass from Kaspars Daugavins and moved it to Kalble in the left face-off circle for a wrist shot.

Locmelis scored with a sharp shot from low in the right circle on a 5-on-3 power play, tying it 2-2 at 8:02 of the second period.

Leon Draisaitl could have put Germany in front for a third time on a breakaway at 9:23, but was denied by a pad save from Silovs.

Draisaitl, a forward for the Edmonton Oilers, led all skaters with 10 shots on goal.

"We have to play our game, and we know what to expect," Draisaitl said in German after the game. "We have to be patient for as long as possible. So, we'll play our game (against the United States) and then see what happens."

WATCH: Men's Hockey Highlights from the Olympic Winter Games

Eduards Tralmaks then gave Latvia a 3-2 lead at 8:32 of the third period by going blocker-side on a breakaway off a pass from Girgensons, a forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Krastenbergs extended the lead to 4-2 at 11:37 with a wrist shot from the slot off a rebound from Daugavins.

Stutzle, a forward for the Ottawa Senators, cut it to 4-3 on a shot that went in off Latvia defenseman Kristaps Zile with Grubauer pulled for an extra skater at 17:41.

"I think we were the better team today," Stutzle said. "Still, we've got a lot to clean up. Can't give them so many Grade-A's. We knew they were going to push out, they're going to cheat. But we just have to find a way to play better defensively."

NOTES: Latvia won for the fourth time in 20 games with NHL participation at the Olympics. ... Girgensons has three assists in two games. He is the only Latvia-born player to be selected in the first round of the NHL Draft (No. 14 in 2012 by the Buffalo Sabres). ... Reichel, drafted in the first round (No. 17) in 2020 by the Chicago Blackhawks, has not scored in 14 games for the Vancouver Canucks after being acquired in a trade from the Blackhawks on Oct. 24. ... Locmelis is the first Latvia player to have multiple power-play goals in a game with NHL participation at the Olympics. He is the first player to score more than one on the power play in an Olympic game with NHL players since Loui Eriksson for Team Sweden on Feb. 21, 2010.