Latvia Faces Denmark in Crucial Olympic Hockey Matchup

Milan, Italy – February 15, 2026 – Latvia and Denmark are set to face off in a pivotal preliminary round game at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. The puck drops at 1:10 p.m. ET at Milano Rho Arena, with Latvia looking to solidify their position in Group C.

Merzlikins Expected to Start for Latvia

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins is anticipated to start in net for Latvia against Denmark as reported by The Columbus Dispatch. This will be his second start of the tournament, following a 5-1 loss to the United States on February 12th, where he allowed four goals on 32 shots during the first two periods. He previously backed up Arturs Silovs in Latvia’s 4-3 upset victory over Germany on February 14th.

Latvia’s Olympic Journey So Far

Latvia has had a mixed start to their Olympic campaign. After the loss to the U.S., they secured a notable win against Germany. Merzlikins brings extensive international experience to the team, having participated in six World Championships, an Olympic qualifying tournament, and three World Junior Championships according to reports.

Denmark’s Performance

Denmark enters the game with a 0-0-2-0 record in the preliminary round. They suffered a 6-3 defeat against the United States despite initially leading 2-1 in the first period as noted by Sportskeeda.

Key Players to Watch

For Latvia, forwards Zemgus Girgensons and Renars Krastenbergs are currently on point streaks, while Albert Smits and Kristian Rubkins have recorded the most shots for the team against Germany according to Sportskeeda. Denmark will look to Nicholas Ehlers and Oscar Moelgaard to lead their offense, with defenseman Nicholas Jensen posing a threat with his shot.

What to Expect

Denmark will require to improve their face-off win percentage, having recorded only 32.84% against the Americans as reported by Sportskeeda, to generate more scoring opportunities. Latvia’s power play, which scored twice on Saturday, could prove to be a decisive factor. Both teams will aim for a disciplined game, as Denmark only received two penalties against Team USA.

How to Watch

Fans can catch the game live at 1:10 p.m. ET from Milano Rho Arena as detailed by Yahoo Sports.