Another strong showing for Canucks Silovs at World Championships

Vancouver Canucks goaltending prospect Arturs Silovs is becoming one of the stories of the tournament backstopping host Latvia to a third straight victory

Arturs Silovs is quickly becoming a hometown -- and home country -- hero.

The 22-year-old Latvian has stepped into the starter's role and the spotlight helping put his team on the cusp of clinching a quarter-final berth at the IIHF World Hockey Championships. In front of a raucous home crowd in Riga on Friday, Silovs stopped 26 of the 28 shots that came his way in a much-needed 3-2 victory over Slovenia.

Silovs eased into the win stopping all five shots he faced in the opening period. But he was busier over the final 40 minutes making eight saves in the second period and then holding down the fort in the third stopping all 13 shots sent his way as Slovenia pressed for the equalizer.

With the win, Latvia improved to 3-2. Silovs, who has appeared in all five of the contests starting the last four, carries a 3-1 record and has now posted a 2.42 goals against average and has upped his save percentage to 90.6% while facing a tournament-high 127 shots so far.

Silovs, who spent the bulk of this past season in Abbotsford but made five NHL appearances with the Vancouver Canucks, started last Friday's championship opener against Canada as Latvia's back-up, but entered the game after just five minutes with his team already down 2-0. He gave up four goals the rest of the way against one of the pre-tournament favourites. However over his last four starts he has surrendered just eight goals leading the Latvians to three straight wins over Czechia, Norway and now Slovenia.

Latvia will face winless Kazakhstan on Saturday and then finish the preliminary round against Switzerland on Tuesday. The Latvians currently sit fourth in Group B four points ahead of Slovakia. The top four teams from each group will advance to the elimination round starting next week.