Sports in brief - 2011-04-07

The Latvian national ice hockey team has been given a wake up call ahead of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) division 1 world championships later this month, suffering two heavy losses to Sweden on March 30 and April 1. The team was made up of a mixture of fringe national team players mixed in with regulars as a number of first and second line players who are expected to don the national colors in Slovakia continue to be involved in club hockey in North America, or were granted rest following long campaigns here in Europe. However, this could hardly be used as an excuse with their hosts facing a similar scenario. In game one, Latvia was on the back foot early with Sweden scoring twice in the opening period. They would claim one goal back in the second period through Kaspars Saulietis, but it would have little impact on the game as the hosts went on to win 4-1. Latvia looked more promising in the opening stages of game two, racing out to a 3-0 lead through goals from Roberts Bukarts, Saulietis and Gints Meija to be leading 3-0 after 27 minutes. However Sweden hit back hard, replying with seven unanswered goals to obliterate the Latvians. Juris Stals would grab one back in the final minutes for the final score to read 7-4. Latvia again takes to the ice on April 7 when they host Finland in a two game series. The second game will take place an evening later as their build-up to the world championships continues.

Lithuanian basketball star Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who plays for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association (NBA), has avoided suspension but will have to pay a fine of 25,000 dollars for the part he played when a brawl broke out between his team and the Washington Wizards on March 30. Ilgauskas was being heavily guarded by his opposite, John Wall, in the second quarter of the match when he unintentionally hit Wall in the face with his elbow more than once as he attempted to give himself some space. Wall then reacted by swinging his right hand at Ilgauskas. Wall’s teammate Javale McGee attempted to break the pair up only to be blindsided by Ilgauskas’ teammate Juwan Howard, who formerly played for the Wizards. McGee avoided any punishment while the other three were ejected from the game, which the Heat went on to win 123-107. Howard was fined 35,000 dollars for his part in the fight while Wall was suspended for one game without pay. A veteran of 12 seasons, Ilgauskas has proved to be an integral member of a Miami team that is amongst the favorites to win the NBA title as the playoffs rapidly approach.

Lithuanian cyclists Tomas Vaitkus and Ignatas Konovalovas, along with Latvian Aleksejs Saramotins, were unable to make any impact in the one-day Tour of Flanders on April 3. The one-day race is amongst the most famous in the world and is deemed by the Union Cycliste Intenationale as being one of the monument races on the world cycling calendar. Vaitkus recorded the best finish of the three, finishing in the 35th spot, one minute and 24 seconds behind Nick Nuyens of Belgium, who won the race in a three-way sprint finish with a total time of six hours, one minute and 20 seconds. His fellow Lithuanian, Konovalovas, was next across in 105th position, 15 minutes and 28 seconds behind Nuyen, whilst Saramotins was the final Baltic rider to cross the line, in 116th position, 17 minutes and 51 seconds behind Nuyens. On April 10 the trio will be joined by Estonian Tanel Kangert and Latvian Gatis Smukulis, when they participate in the next monument race on the calendar; the famous one-day Paris-Roubaix race.