Even though both games on Day 5 of the 2026 World Junior Championships featured the bottom two teams in each group, that didn’t mean there wasn’t important hockey to be played. Both match-ups carried major implications for all four teams involved. Denmark and Germany entered the day with their backs against the wall, desperately needing wins to keep their tournament hopes alive, while Switzerland and Latvia were looking to secure victories to make their final group games on New Year’s Eve a little less stressful.

Games between lower-seeded teams can often produce some of the most entertaining hockey, and Day 5 was no exception. Here’s how it all played out.

Germany looked fatigued from the outset and struggled to generate any sustained offence. Many of the issues that plagued them earlier in the tournament were once again evident. Switzerland, meanwhile, did not resemble a winless team. After pushing both Sweden and the United States to one-goal games, the Swiss finally took control in this one.

Swiss forward Kimi Körbler opened the scoring in the first period after deflecting a puck off his skate right to his stick and he buried the puck home. Germany ran into penalty trouble throughout the game, and after failing to score a power-play goal in their first two matches, Switzerland finally capitalized as Jamiro Reber scored to make it 2–0 after one.

Just over a minute into the second period, Körbler struck again for his second of the game, and Ludvig Johnson added another shortly thereafter to give Switzerland a 4–0 lead heading into the third.

Germany was unable to mount any sort of comeback in the final frame. The scoreline could have been much worse if not for German goaltender Lennart Neisse, who made several high-quality saves. Neisse stopped 44 of 48 shots and was named Germany’s player of the game.

With the win, Switzerland secured a spot in the quarterfinals, while Germany will play in the relegation game on Jan. 2.

Denmark found itself in a similar situation to Germany, needing a win to stay alive in the tournament. A Latvian victory would guarantee a quarterfinal berth.

Denmark had the first quality scoring chance of the game when a turnover at the blue line sent a Danish forward in alone on a breakaway. Too many moves, however, allowed the Latvian goaltender to make a timely poke check and deny the chance.

Latvia opened the scoring soon after when Krisjanis Sarts pounced on a loose puck and made it 1–0.

Early in the second period, on a Latvian power play, projected high draft pick Alberts Smits fired a wrist shot from the top of the face-off circle to make it 2–0. Midway through the period, just as a Danish power play expired, Denmark kept the puck in the offensive zone and defenceman Oliver Larsen found an opening to cut the deficit to one.

Latvia responded with another power-play goal and added an insurance marker shortly after to make it 4–1. Denmark scored late in the period to pull within two heading into the third.

For the third time in the game, Latvia struck on the power play early in the final frame to restore a three-goal cushion. With the net empty late, and praying for a miracle, Denmark managed one more goal, but that was as close as they would get. Latvia added an empty-netter to seal the 6–3 victory.

With the win, Latvia advances to the quarterfinals and will face either Sweden or the United States, depending on the outcome of their match-up on Day 6. Denmark’s loss sets the relegation game, with Denmark and Germany meeting for the chance to remain in the tournament next year.