Canada defeated Latvia 2-1 on an overtime power play in its second preliminary-round World Juniors game. Thirty-eight shots, two goals—so who was stopping all those pucks?

Nineteen-year-old Nils Roberts Maurins, a 6-foot-4, 176-pound leftie goalie for the USHL’s Omaha Lancers, anchored Latvia’s defensive effort. He made 36 saves and posted a .947 save percentage, repeatedly frustrating Canada’s attack.

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Latvia showed a year ago it cannot be overlooked, stunning Canada 3-2 before falling 3-2 to Sweden. Goaltender Linards Feldbergs played a major role in that run, protecting the net relentlessly.

This year, Maurins has stepped into that role. Along with his standout performance against Canada, he owns a .896 save percentage in 16 games with Omaha.

His play continues to trend upward. Over a recent five-game stretch, Maurins posted a .929 save percentage and recorded a 42-save shutout in a 4-0 victory over Youngstown on Dec. 12.

Before joining the Lancers, Maurins appeared in three games with the Bismarck Bobcats, compiling a 2.00 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage.

For Latvia, Maurins’ emergence is no small detail. If his performance against Canada is any indication, Latvia once again has the goaltending to make every opponent work — and to make no result feel safe.

2026 World Junior Championship Schedule

View the full schedule below for the Group Stage and playoff rounds of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota. FloHockey will provide free live updates for each USA and Canada game including analysis, scoring summaries, and highlights.

Friday, December 26

• 1:00 p.m. ET - Sweden 3 - 2 Slovakia
• 2:30 p.m. ET - Denmark 2 - 6 Finland
• 6:00 p.m. ET - Germany 3 - 6 USA
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Czechia vs Canada *Live Updates*

Saturday, December 27

• 2:00 p.m. ET - Slovakia vs Germany
• 4:30 p.m. ET - Latvia vs Canada *Live Updates*
• 6:00 p.m. ET - USA vs Switzerland *Live Updates*
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Denmark vs Czechia

Sunday, December 28

• 2:00 p.m. ET - Sweden vs Switzerland
• 4:30 p.m. ET - Finland vs Latvia

Monday, December 29

• 1:00 p.m. ET - Germany vs Sweden
• 3:30 p.m. ET - Finland vs Czechia
• 6:00 p.m. ET - Slovakia vs USA *Live Updates*
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Canada vs Denmark *Live Updates*

Tuesday, December 30

• 2:00 p.m. ET - Switzerland vs Germany
• 4:30 p.m. ET - Latvia vs Denmark

Wednesday, December 31

• 1:00 p.m. ET - Switzerland vs Slovakia
• 3:30 p.m. ET - Czechia vs Latvia
• 6:00 p.m. ET - USA vs Sweden *Live Updates*
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Canada vs Finland *Live Updates*

Friday, January 2

• 12:30 p.m. ET - Relegation Game
• 2:00 p.m. ET - Quarterfinals Game 1
• 4:30 p.m. ET - Quarterfinals Game 2
• 6:00 p.m. ET - Quarterfinals Game 3
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Quarterfinals Game 4

Sunday, January 4

• 4:30 p.m. ET - Semifinals Game 1
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Semifinals Game 2

Monday, January 5

• 4:30 p.m. ET - Bronze Medal Game
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Gold Medal Game

Follow FloHockey's Coverage Of The 2026 World Junior Championship

FloHockey will be on site for complete coverage of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. You can expect game-by-game coverage of both Team USA and Team Canada from FloHockey's experts, interviews with key players and coaches and much more. Follow FloHockey's WJC coverage here.

NHL Prospect Coverage On FloHockey

The best, and most complete, coverage of the NHL minor league hockey and NHL Draft is found on FloHockey. Don't miss the latest new prospect guides, rankings and more from Chris Peters and the FloHockey staff.

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