Latvia U20 vs Canada U20: prediction & betting odds December 27, 2025

The meeting of the second match day of the World Junior Championship 2026 between the national teams of Latvia and Canada will take place on 28 december at 3M Arena Mariucci in Minneapolis. Latvia vs Canada: prediction, betting odds and statistics.

Latvia

Latvia's hockey players in the previous edition of the World Junior Championship 2024/2025 were eliminated at the quarterfinal stage after losing to Sweden. In the group stage the team finished fourth, second-to-last, with 4 points. The real sensation of that tournament was the victory over Canada in a shootout (3:2). Note that the team only began to play regularly in the top division of the World Junior Championship from 2022, when the Russian national team stopped being admitted. Over three years the team has not once advanced beyond the quarterfinals and is primarily focused on avoiding relegation to the first division.

The squad coached by Artis Abols has a specific approach – the coach did not assemble the oldest and most physically imposing players nor exclusively the youngest and fastest, but emphasized experience in international matches. At least 13 players in the roster arrived having interrupted their seasons in foreign leagues. Among the key players are Bruno Osmanis, who recorded 4 (1+3) points last year. Thanks to him the team achieved two group-stage victories for the first time in its history. Oliver Munrieks also scored 4 (1+3) points in the last World Junior Championship. Alberts Smits is the team's main star and has real chances to become the third native of Latvia selected in the first round of the NHL draft.

• Latvia did not score more than 2 goals in all 5 head-to-head meetings with Canada in the World Junior Championship.
• The team has not won in regulation time in its last 5 tournament games (2 draws, 3 losses).
• Artis Abols' squad conceded at least 3 goals in 9 of their last 10 World Junior Championship matches.

Canada

The previous match for Canada ended in a hard-fought 7:5 victory over the Czech Republic. The team has already earned its first three points but currently sits second in the standings due to goals conceded. The most productive Canadian was defenseman Zane Parekh, who scored twice. Opponents failed in accuracy. Otherwise many indicators were separated by minimal margins — Canada had only four more shots than the Czechs (33:29). On two occasions the opponents presented Canada with scoring opportunities, and Canada took advantage by scoring on the power play and into an empty net.

• Dale Hunter's team and their opponents did not score more than 7 goals in regulation combined in 7 of the last 9 World Junior Championship matches.
• Canada failed to score fewer than 5 goals in 4 of the last 5 head-to-head meetings with Latvia at the tournament.
• The national team of Canada won in regulation time in 4 of their last 5 matches against national teams of countries.

Latvia vs Canada: Match Prediction

Canada, although the favorite for the upcoming match, has experienced several clearly unsuccessful seasons recently. The team either beats opponents by no more than a five-goal margin or loses.

Thus, in 14 of Canada's last 15 matches in the World Junior Championship the national team either lost to opponents or beat them by a margin of no more than 5 goals. Since 2022 there have been only three head-to-head meetings between Latvia and Canada, and in only one of them did the goal difference exceed 5.

It should be noted as well that Latvia rarely loses by 5 goals in World Junior Championship matches. In their last 8 games in this tournament they have not been beaten by more than 5 goals.

Prediction: Latvia (+5.5)