The 2025 World Juniors got underway on Thursday night and have already produced incredible moments. The World Juniors are a place where NHL Draft hopefuls can make names for themselves. And it can be the place where the dreams of entire countries can be realized. This happened on Friday night when Latvia and Canada went to battle on the ice in Ottawa.

Latvia and Canada played a scoreless game through most of the first two periods. However, the Canadians took the lead thanks to Philadelphia Flyers first-round pick Jett Luchanko. Latvia tied the game in the third period 1-1, and then again later when the Canadians regained the lead. The game went to a shootout where Latvian forward Eriks Mateiko sent his country into dreamland.

Latvia has defeated Canada at the World Juniors for the first time ever. In fact, this is by far the most competitive game the Latvians have ever played against Canada. Latvia faces a similarly tall task when they take on a vaunted Team USA squad on Saturday in Ottawa. Canada, meanwhile, falls to 1-1 on the tournament and looks to rebound against Germany on Sunday.

Canada roasted online after historic loss to Latvia

More casual hockey fans may not be too invested in the World Juniors as a spectacle. However, hardcore hockey fans tune into the tournament to catch a glimpse at the potential future stars of the sport. This year is no different, and as a result, fan reactions flooded in once Eriks Mateiko scored his shootout winner.

One fan took note of potential snubs from the Canadian roster. Forward Beckett Sennecke and defenseman Carter Yakemchuk — both top 10 picks from the 2024 NHL Draft — did not make the team. This fan had fun imagining their reactions to Canada losing to Latvia.

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One fan was a bit more straightforward with their reaction. They asked a rather pointed question regarding Canada's performance. “Is that the biggest single-game embarrassment for Canada in World Juniors history? I think it might be,” they wrote on social media.

Another fan mentioned that the embarrassment could get worse for Canada. The Latvians, as mentioned, face a Team USA team coming off a 10-4 victory over Germany on Saturday. A Team USA blowout of Latvia could add to Canadian misery. “If you think this is embarrassing for Canada now, wait until Team USA beats this Latvia team 9-0 tomorrow,” they wrote.

“Haven’t won a cup since Clinton was in office. Lost to LATVIA. Canada has lost the privilege of being called a hockey country,” another fan wrote.

Canada can certainly bounce back from this loss. They have the talent to compete with anyone at the World Juniors. However, losing to Latvia certainly adds pressure to the young players who are striving to end this tournament with a gold medal around their necks.