Riga. First kick off between Leo Carlsson and Rodrigo Abols in the boiling Riga Arena.
– Rod took care of me and meant a lot to me, says Leo.
– Now we’ll see if Leo learned the tricks I taught him, says Rod.
The World Cup quarter-final match between Trekronor and Latvia in Riga will be a meeting between Örebro Pauls Leo Carlsson and Rodrigo Apollos.
The top two for both national teams, the 18-year-old super talent and the 27-year-old SHL star.
– I look forward to meeting Rod. We kept in touch during the restroom and hung out on Snapchat. He was my captain in Orebro. He is a leader and such a father that I look up to him. I usually ask him a lot. He gives a lot of advice on the ice and is a funny guy off the ice. Although he can speak Swedish, we usually speak English, which is good practice for me. Then we’ll see if there will be any drawing. My wrists hurt and I didn’t draw much in the end, says Leo Carlson.
In the 4-3 loss after extra time in the group final against the USA, he scored two goals and had a total of three goals and two assists in the World Cup.
– I have the confidence to take me to this match against Latvia. USA played hard and hit hard, but I was still able to hold on to the puck. I hope the audience is absolutely crazy, says Leo Carlson, I get the adrenaline from that.
“It’s hard to play against Leo.”
Rodrigo Apóles had a goal and an assist in a 4-3 overtime win over Switzerland as the quarter-finals were secured.
In total, he scored five goals and two assists for Latvia in this World Cup tournament.
– It will be interesting and challenging to play against Leo, everyone knows a great talent. When you actually saw him as a 16-year-old in Örebro last season, you could see the incredible talent. I remember his first game in the SHL against Frölunda in a crowded Scandinavia after corona restrictions. Rodrigo Apolles says he has played with opponents and had more confidence than half of the team.
They had a special relationship and were close to each other during the two seasons they played together in Örebro.
Leo is a fun guy to hang out with and I tried to take care of him. I’ve been in almost the same situation as him, although it wasn’t exactly hype. Leo has to be himself and trust his game and instincts, but he’s also easy to get along with and doesn’t seem to have any nerves, says Rodrigo Apoles.
Seeking revenge on Sweden
In hockey-crazy Latvia, there’s World Cup fever ahead of the quarter-final against Tre Kronor.
– We are hungry for revenge. Last time we were in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Denmark 2018, we also faced Sweden and lost 3-2. I know what it’s like to face teams coached by Sam Hallam. Rodrigo Apolles says it’s a united team with a lot of discipline and structure.
Before the next season, Rodrigo Apoules left Örebro to play for SHL rivals Rögle.
Leo Carlsson will be one of the best picks in the draft and there are many indications that there could be games in the NHL as early as next season.
This is the first time an Örebro player has played for Tre Kronor’s WC.
