Šmits logs heavy minutes in Rangers win, Balinskis and Vilmanis contribute points

Several Latvian hockey players featured prominently in NHL preseason action, logging significant ice time and scoring contributions. The New York Rangers beat the New Jersey Devils 4:3 in a shootout after erasing a 0:2 deficit with three third-period goals. Defenseman Alberts Šmits played 23 minutes and 48 seconds, the second-highest total among Rangers defensemen, including 2:11 on the power play and 1:45 shorthanded. He registered one shot on goal and finished with an even plus-minus rating.

Panthers defeat Lightning

The Florida Panthers won 5:3 on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring the decisive goals in the third period after the game was tied through two periods. Sandis Vilmanis played 15 minutes and 32 seconds and scored the team's fifth goal into an empty net, adding three shots on goal overall. Uvis Balinskis logged 22 minutes and 32 seconds of ice time, picked up an assist on Vilmanis' goal, and added three blocked shots and two hits while finishing with a positive plus-minus rating.

Other Latvians in action

Dans Ločmelis played 18 minutes and 49 seconds for the Boston Bruins but did not register a point as Boston lost 0:2 to the Philadelphia Flyers. Eduards Tralmaks and Rūdolfs Bērzkalns both suited up for the Edmonton Oilers, who beat the Vancouver Canucks 2:1 on the road. Tralmaks played 11 minutes and 36 seconds, while Bērzkalns, selected 58th overall in this year's draft, played 11 minutes and 52 seconds.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, whose roster includes goaltender Artūrs Šilovs, lost 0:4 to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who feature Elvis Merzļikins. Neither goaltender played in the game, as Merzļikins has not yet passed the team's medical evaluation. Sergei Murashov started in the Penguins' net, stopping 14 of 16 shots.