RIGA - Having just scraped through to the second round of the Hockey World Championship, not even the most optimistic Latvian fan dared to hope that the team would get any further in the tournament.
Latvia had to play Canada, Switzerland, and Austria, which was no stroll in the park. Latvia's first game was against Canada, and was as good as lost before the game had even started. Canada has played extremely well this year and is one of the favorites to win but wasn't sitting at the top of group E, because of a 6-2 loss to the Czech Republic. The good news for the fans was that Latvia could lose to Canada and still move on to the next round.
Sergejs Naumovs was in goal for Latvia in the game against Canada. Latvia started the game off brightly but the Canadians scored in the 13th minute of the first period through Patrice Bergeron, and Latvia could do little more than fight for its dignity after that. Canada scored again in the second minute of the second period by the NHL's Scott Niedermayer. The game ended 2-0 for Canada.
Having lost to Canada, Latvia needed at least a tie against Switzerland. Both teams play with a similar style that emphasizes skill over strength, and the game lived up to its promise, with penalties playing a major factor in keeping the game so even throughout. Eventually in the third period Latvia's Grigoijs Pantelejevs, who has had an amazing tournament, scored in the ninth minute against Swiss goalie Martin Gerber. Then two minutes later Marc Reichert scored to tie the game 1-1. The last few minutes of the game were a frantic scramble as both teams shot on goal at every opportunity to try and clinch the game.
With a tie against Switzerland, Latvia needed a win against Austria. But this is where the plan of progressing to the next round seemed to hit a snag. Austria is a very strong team, who hasn't been playing very well this year, but has improved with every game in this tournament.
Latvia, on the other hand, has rarely played as well as it can so far. Unfortunately for Austria, Latvia suddenly found its finest form just when it was most needed. In the first period it seemed like this was going to be another gruelingly disappointing game for the Latvians when Austria's Christoph Harand scored first in the third minute.
But whatever the Latvian coach Kurt Lindstrem said to the team during the first break must have worked, because in the third minute of the second period Sergejs Zoltoks scored to open up a shooting gallery on Austrian goalie Reinhard Divis.
Aleksandrs Kercs and Atvars Tribuncovs scored in the seventh and 14th minute respectively, and it looked like Latvia was going to run away with the game, until Austria's Oliver Setzinger scored in the 15th minute of the second period.
The second period ended 3-2 with Latvia in the lead, but that still wasn't enough of a lead. Latvia needed a win, not a tie. Again coach Kurt Lindstrem came through to motivate the team and Latvia sealed victory in the third period when Arvids Rekis scored in the 10th minute and Aleksandrs Macijevskis scored in the final minutes to end the game 5-2.
Latvia will now face Sweden in its quarterfinal tie on May 5 (unfortunately just as TBT goes to press). On the same day the Czech republic will face the U.S.A. in what should be an amazing game, and on May 6 Slovakia will play Austria, who beat Germany to qualify, and Finland will face Canada. From here on the tournament is in the knockout phase.
The semifinals will both take place on May 7, and the final will take place in Prague on May 9.
