2025 World Juniors Notebook: Latvia's Cinderella story continues with win over Germany

OTTAWA, Ontario – There may have only been two games on the schedule, but the penultimate day of the preliminary round at the 2025 World Juniors was not short of drama.

Latvia continued their Cinderella run at this tournament, clinching a spot in the quarter-finals by getting to overtime against Germany, where Eriks Mateiko scored the game-winner to give them another critical two points heading into the final day of the round robin.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan mounted a furious comeback late in the third period against Slovakia to force overtime, scoring two shorthanded goals on a 5-minute major penalty kill. Slovakia bent, but didn't break, as Maxim Strbak (Buffalo Sabres) scored the game-winner.  

Onto the storylines! 

Latvia's Cinderella story will continue in the medal round

For the second time i