It will go down as one of the biggest upsets in world junior hockey championship history.
Latvia rallied from two one-goal deficits to stun heavily favoured Canada 3-2 in a shootout on Friday.
It was 0-0 in the first five rounds of the shootout, bringing it to sudden death. Eriks Mateiko of Latvia finally won it in the eighth round.
The loss may have come with a heavy cost. Canadian star defenceman Matthew Schaefer exited after crashing shoulder-first into the Latvian net on a scoring chance early in the first period in Ottawa.
Canada had outscored Latvia 41-4 in four previous games (all wins) at the world juniors.
Latvia’s best finish in tournament history was seventh in 2022, while Canada has won an event-high 20 gold medals.
Canada’s Calum Ritchie broke a 1-1 tie with a power-play goal with 5:38 left in the third period, but Latvia knotted things up for a second time when Peteris Bulans scored on a power play with 2:29 remaining.
Canada pressed hard for the winner in a frantic final minute of regulation, but Latvia held on for overtime.
Latvia’s Mateiko tied it at 1-1 with a power-play goal earlier in the third.
Canada’s Jett Luchanko opened the scoring with a short-handed goal in the second period.
Canada dominated play for much of the game, but goaltender Linards Feldsbergs was excellent for the Latvians, who were playing their first game at this year’s tournament. Canada outshot Latvia 50-21.
Feldsbergs, 19, joined the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix this season.
Brampton Steelheads goalie Jack Ivankovic, 17, played for Canada.
Canada, which beat Finland 4-0 in its tournament opener on Thursday, returns to action Sunday against Germany.
