Ducks World Junior Recap Day 2: Uljanskis, Latvia stun Canada

Now, two days into the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, every nation has at least one game under their belt.

Ducks World Junior Recap Day 1: Terrance, Burnevik, Port contribute to wins

The Anaheim Ducks have four candidates participating in the tournament, representing three nations.

Latvia: 3 Canada: 2 (SUN)

On the second day of the annual year-end tournament, defenseman Darels Uljanskis was the only Ducks prospect in action. His Latvia took on tournament favorite Canada, which had won 4-0 against Finland a day earlier.

Despite losing 57-27, Latvia managed to pull off an improbable shootout victory over the extremely talented Canadian team.

Latvia executed their game plan perfectly: bend but not break defensively, protect the home plate area of ​​the defensive zone, get pucks out of the D-zone by any means necessary and rely on the solid goaltending position of starter Linards Feldbergs.

From the Ducks’ perspective, one can’t help but wonder if Canada could have used an immediate offensive winger capable of changing momentum on the fly with dazzling offensive skills. Maybe a winger like Beckett Sennecke, the 2024 third overall pick.

Darels Ulyanskis

Uljanskis was selected in the seventh round (214th overall) by the Ducks in the 2024 NHL Draft. He is one of only two drafted players in Latvia’s squad (Eriks Mateiko).

Uljanskis played in three periods and 17:20 in overtime in Latvia’s opening game, good enough for third place among his team’s defensemen.

He was used in the second power play and penalty kill units, managed two shots on goal and was an integral part of Latvia coach Artis Abols’ game plan.

Uljanskis played perfectly in Lativa’s system, protecting the top of the crease with quality box-out sequences, getting pucks out of the zone with high throws when necessary, and joining the rush when the game required it without giving up defensive position.

His gap against rush attacks was a bit larger than traditional defensive fundamentals suggested. However, this may have been due to the tactic of maintaining a defensive position at all costs.

Uljanskis collected pucks and when he had time, he deftly dodged F1 forecheckers with shoulder fakes and quick crosses. When under pressure, he settled for rims and chips and had some difficulty pulling pucks off the bottom of the wall under pressure.

On offense he always showed enthusiasm when the opportunity arose. On the offensive blueline, he activated and switched with the forwards to gain better angles and shift the defensive structure in front of him.

At times he took part in rushes and led them, although he did not display outstanding foot speed, but instead chose his lanes advantageously to reach the middle with cutbacks and head fakes.

It was an encouraging performance from Uljanskis in a remarkable opportunistic win for Latvia in the opening game of the tournament against a powerhouse.

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