Latvia's ice hockey team lost its opening match in the Olympic tournament against the USA, despite an impressive debut from the youngest player in Olympic history, Alberts Šmits.
In their first match at the Olympic tournament, the Latvian ice hockey team faced a tough defeat against the USA, even though they had a moment of hope when Renārs Krastenbergs scored the team's only goal, equalizing the score to 1-1 during the first period. The game saw a significant event as Alberts Šmits, at just 18 years and 10 days old, became the youngest player ever to debut in Olympic ice hockey, surpassing the previous record held by Canadian player MacLean Celebre. Šmits expressed that he is aware of this distinction, but emphasized his focus on executing his role in the tournament.
