Elvis Merzļikins and Team Latvia gets punished by Sweden

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Elvis Merzļikins was pulled 35:36 into the game after giving up 6 goals to Sweden today. Sweden is good. Really good.

Latvia actually had the game tied at two early in the second after scoring twice in 23 seconds, but the Swedes would go on to score five unanswered goals, including two each from Fabian Zetterlund and Marcus Pettersson. Pettersson's first goal would be the last goal Merzļikins would see in this game. He was pulled in favor of Eriks Vitols. Vitols would go on to give up a single goal on 14 Swedish shots.

Sweden is easily the best team in this tournament as they put mainly NHLers on the ice. Through five games, they're 5-0 with a goal differential of +19. They sit 5 points ahead of the Americans who are in second place.

Merzļikins hadn't started the last two games, as it seems the Latvian coach was rotating starts.

Latvia plays 4th place Slovakia tomorrow at 2:20 EST.

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