DORIAN GEIGER
Sports Editor

At the IIHF tournament in Saskatoon, where Canadian fans were the overwhelming majority, Latvia slowly but surely emerged as the unexpected runner-up fan favourite during the European team’s two week tenure in Saskatchewan. 

    After dropping their first game of the tournament 16-0 to Canada on Dec. 26, it was clear to many Canadians that the Latvian team was likely not going to be a gold medal contender. In fact, it was the worst loss in the history of the Latvian world junior team.   

    Unlike the boos that have permeated the from the Credit Union Centre and Brandt Centre in Regina in response to Russia and U.S.A., Latvia soon began to receive unusually positive fan attention after the Canadian blow-out. CUC erupted in cheers nearly anytime Latvia found the back of the net, delivered a hit or managed a nice goaltending save. Latvia ended the preliminary stretch of the tournament on a dismal 0-4 record but clinched their first win of the tournament in a 6-4 relegation win over Austria on Jan. 4. The Latvians also managed to squeeze a pre-tournament win out of Russia in exhibition action. The Austrians, however, have remained winless in their past three IIHF U20 tournaments and also came away with an 0-4 preliminary record in this year’s tournament.  

    On Dec. 23 Latvia and Austria both travelled to the small western Saskatchewan hockey community of Unity to play a pre-tournament exhibition match against each other. The trip to Unity was part of a province-wide series of pre-tournament games in rural Saskatchewan. Team Latvia also travelled to Swift Current and Austria also had the opportunity to play games in Prince Albert and Humboldt.

   Being a tight-knit, rural hockey-oriented community, Unity welcomed the Latvian and Austrian teams with open arms.

    “They weren’t sure what they were getting into,” said Unity resident Rick Hill. Hill is chairman of the organizing committee and was responsible for helping organize Latvia and Austria’s small town hockey experience in Unity.

    “We went out and greeted them all and welcomed them to Unity. We even had itineraries set up for them.”Â 

    Unity was more than excited to host such an event and raised $25,000 at a sports celebrity dinner with NHL legend and former New York Islander Mike Bossy as well as Saskatchewan Roughrider great Scott Schultz.

    Upon arrival, both teams split up and went to either Unity’s high school or elementary school to enjoy some classroom time with kids. As a class project, both schools were assigned either Latvia or Austria and were challenged to see who could learn most about their assigned country. Pep rallies, drawing pictures and signing autographs were also part of the school festivities that involved the Latvians and Austrians. 

    Saskatoon resident, Barry Rusnell, was Team Latvia’s host during their time at the IIHF tournament and was well aware of the invaluable experiences both Latvia and Austria took away from the Unity road trip.

“It was the focal point of the winter season for (Latvia). It’s a hockey town anyway and this was an opportunity to put a package together that they’re never going to get again probably,” said Rusnell.

“I think the intensity was at an unexpected level for a town that size,” noted Rusnell.

Edgars Ulescenko, a forward for Team Latvia, enjoyed the school portion of the unity excursion the most

“It was great. We went to the school and had a great time with the kids,” said Ulescenko.

“They drew our pictures. It was amazing. They were loud and everything. It was really great. Everything was fun, just our game was bad,” added Ulescenko disappointedly.

    Later in the day Unity’s pee-wee hockey players enjoyed a fun skate with Austria while Latvia competed in a skills competition against Unity’s bantam and midget age groups.

    “Players were a little tentative at first. We originally requested just six players but the whole team came out,” said Hill.

    “The players started having fun, they treated the kids like they were their little brothers and sisters. Players were smiling, kids were smiling and everybody was loving it.”

    “I had to baby-sit the assistant coach and trainer for Austria because they just didn’t know their way around,” joked Hill about his a new friend, Dino Lauber, Austria’s trainer, who happened to be in earshot.

    “They needed direction from somebody and I guess I was the guy to give that to them.”

    For Lauber, a Swiss native who works with Team Austria on a daily basis, his trip to Saskatchewan was characterized and highlighted by the pre-tournament trip to Unity.

    “The people are so beautiful, so gentle. It was unbelievable,” remarked Lauber.

    “Going to the school and all the kids were there and all the people crying and saying hello. They gave us shirts, bags, presents ­— everything. For the whole team the best trip was Unity.”

    When asked what he thought about the flat, barrenness of the wintry prairies, Lauber recalled awaking from a nap on the team bus in utter confusion after drifting off.

   “We were driving for maybe three hours and we saw nothing — and we’re thinking — holy fuck! What is here? What is here? Nobody lives here — you know? It’s so small.” said Lauber in disbelief.

    “Then we came off the bus and it was unbelievable. I feel like a pop-star there,” added Lauber with a smile.

    Other fond recollections the Austrian trainer will take back home with him include learning how to two-step in Unity. Lauber admitted that he has now brought those skills to Saskatoon’s cowboy bar, the Longbranch, where he has been enticing Canadian women for the past few nights.

    Lauber also revealed that adapting to Canadian culture and his recent purchases of cowboy boots and American Eagle attire have likely aided in his pursuit of Canadian women at country bars. Drinking with Canadians has even become Lauber’s favourite pastime.

Latvian host Rusnell also enjoyed a laugh when he recalled the likeable Lauber getting into some curling for the first time while in Unity.

“He (Lauber) was in there like a dirty shirt but couldn’t come out of the hack worth beans,” laughed Rusnell.

“It was another novelty to a night that was already golden,” he added.

    Unfortunately, both the Latvian and Austrian teams were relegated in tournament play and drop down in the IIHF contention divisions, meaning neither team will be eligible to play in the tournament for at least two more years. Teams that will be bumped up for eligibility in next year’s tournament include Germany and Norway.

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Video interview of number 7 Raimonds Vilkoits of Team Latvia after their win over Czech Republic in the Relegation game on Monday, January 4th, 2010.

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photo: World Juniors 2010 Blog / video: Robby Davis