Latvia stuns Canada in world junior hockey, winning 3-2 on lone shootout goal

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Eriks Mateiko scored the lone goal of a shootout in the eighth round to give Latvia a 3-2 victory over Canada on Friday night in the world junior hockey championship.

Mateiko beat Jack Ivankovic to the blocker side to end the tiebreaker after the first 15 shooters failed to score.

“We found a way,” coach Artis Abols said after Latvia’s third victory in 38 games in the tournament. “In one hockey game, everything is possible.”

Mateiko and Peteris Bulans scored late power-play goals in the Group A game at Canadian Tire Centre. Mateiko tied it at 1 with 6:42 left and Bulans evened it at 2 with 2:29 to go.

“They battled,” Canadian coach Dave Cameron. “Credit to them.”

Linards Feldbergs stopped 55 shots for Latvia in its tournament opener.

“Crazy,” Feldbergs said. “Can’t believe what we did. I’m still in shock.”

Calum Ritchie and Jett Luchanko scored for Canada. Ivankovic made 24 saves.

Canada took a penalty for too many men on the ice in 3-on-3 overtime, but survived that short-handed situation to force the shootout.

“Devastating,” Canadian defenseman Tanner Molendyk said. “An eye-opener. It’s not one you want to lose, not one you see yourself losing.”

Ivankovic became the third 17-year-old goaltender to play for Canada at the under-20 tournament, and the first to start a game since Jimmy Waite in 1987.

In the other group A game, Finland beat Germany 3-1. Emil Pieniniemi, Arttu Alasiurua and Jesse Kiiskinen scored and Petteri Rimpinen made 31 saves to help Finland rebound from an opening 4-0 loss to Canada on Thursday night.

The defending champion United States opened Group A play Thursday night with a 10-4 victory over Germany. The Americans will face Latvia on Saturday.

In Group B at TD Place, Sweden routed Kazakhstan 8-1, and Slovakia edged Switzerland 2-1.

Anton Wahlberg scored one of Sweden’s five-period goals and had another in the second.

Victor Eklund, David Edstrom, Linus Eriksson, Felix Nilsson, Oskar Vuollet and David Granberg also scored and Marcus Gidlof made 15 saves for Sweden, coming off a 5-2 victory over Slovakia on Thursday in the its opener.

Jan Chovan broke a third-period tie for Slovakia.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Latvia goaltender Linards Feldbergs, foreground, turns to make a save against Canada with help from teammate Martins Klaucans, right, during first-period IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship preliminary round game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Gavin McKenna (9) and Latvia's Viktors Kurbaka (3) grab on to each other after the whistle as linesperson Nick Briganti tries to separate them during second period IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship preliminary round actio in Ottawa, Ontario, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Berkly Catton, left, and Porter Martone (22) battle for the puck with Latvia's Viktors Kurbaka (3) in front of Latvia goaltender Linards Feldbergs (29) during second-period IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship preliminary round game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

Latvia goaltender Linards Feldbergs (29) makes a save on Canada's Cole Beaudoin, second left, as Latvia's Krisjanis Sarts (2) defends during the third period of a IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship preliminary round game in Ottawa, Ontario on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

Latvia's Eriks Mateiko (9) scores on Canada goaltender Jack Ivankovic (1) during the third period of a IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship preliminary round game in Ottawa, Ontario on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

Latvia's Eriks Mateiko, left, celebrates his game-winning shootout goal against Canada with Toms Mots (12) and Davids Livsics (7) in a IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship preliminary round game in Ottawa, Ontario on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada goaltender Jack Ivankovic is scored against by Latvia's Eriks Mateiko during shootout IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship preliminary round game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

Latvia players celebrate after defeating Canada in shootout IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship preliminary round game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.

Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.

“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.

"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.

Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.

Codey, the son of a northern New Jersey funeral home owner, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as Senate president from 2002 to 2010.

Codey first served as acting governor for a brief time in 2002, after Christine Todd Whitman’s resignation to join President George W. Bush’s administration. He held the post again for 14 months after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.

At that time, New Jersey law mandated that the Senate president assume the governor’s role if a vacancy occurred, and that person would serve until the next election.

Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.

Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.

After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.

“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” his family wrote. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners.”

Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, and that led to controversy in early 2005, when a talk radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on the air.

Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him that he wished he could “take him outside.” But the host claimed Codey actually threatened to “take him out,” which Codey denied.

His wife told The Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.

“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”

Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.

FILE - New Jersey State Sen. and former Democratic Gov. Richard Codey is seen before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the statehouse, in Trenton, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)