USA Loses to Latvia in Bronze-Medal Game at Ice Hockey World Championship 2023

Following a disappointing overtime loss to Germany in the 2023 IIHF World Hockey Championship semi-finals, Team USA was looking to secure a bronze medal against Latvia. Instead, the Americans are feeling déjà vu.

Entering the third period tied at two, a goal from Calgary Flames prospect Matthew Coronato put the U.S. up by one with under 14 minutes remaining.

After this, Latvian defenseman Kristians Rubins took over. The Flames prospect scored with just over five minutes left to send the game to overtime and capitalized earlier in the extra frame to send Latvia home with a 4-3 victory and the bronze medal.

The victory gave Latvia it's first top-three finish in tournament history. This was a fact that was not taken for granted by the team, especially for forward Miks Indrašis.

"For the big teams like Canada, this is what they do," Indrašis said. (via Lucas Aykroyd of IIHF.com) "They win medals all the time. But for us, it's like a one-time opportunity. This is unreal."

While the victory was huge for Latvia, the loss is extremely painful for the Americans. After a loss in the bronze medal game last season, the team came in this year with lofty goals. They went undefeated in their first eight games and looked like a contender to end a 90-year gold medal drought at the tournament.

Instead, back-to-back heartbreaking losses sends the team home without a medal. Buffalo Sabres forward Alec Tuch reflected on this, stating how just a few tough bounces can totally change a team's trajectory.

"Hockey's a game of inches," Tuch said. "Anyone can be beaten on any given day and Latvia got it today and they beat us."

Rocco Grimaldi, who is in the Chicago Blackhawks organization and won gold at the 2012-13 World Junior Championships with USA, said that he was happy for Latvia despite his team losing in the final game.

"You could see what this means to them," Grimaldi said of Latvia. "I think they probably wanted it little more than we did. We said after the first period, we have to want it as much as they do because they're playing like it was for a gold medal, not just a bronze. I don't think we matched their intensity for the full 60."

Canada defeated Germany 5-2 in the Gold Medal Game. This was their 28th championship in tournament history.