The popular a capella group Cosmos has released its second album, Pa un par, this time presenting 16 tracks of Latvian and international songs, as wells as original compositions.

Unlike the group’s first album, this one features no musical instruments or sound modulation devices, according to a May 4 press release from the Rīga-based UPE Recording Co. Among songs included are such well-known hits as “Got to Get You Into My Life,” written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and recorded by The Beatles, and “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson.

Cosmos includes six singers: Juris Lisenko, Jānis Ozols, Andris Sējāns, Reinis Sējāns, Jānis Strazdiņš and Jānis Šipkēvičs.

The group released its self-titled debut album in 2003, also on the UPE label.

More information about the group is available from its Web site, www.cosmosmusic.lv.

An aggressive third period paid off for the U.S. ice hockey team as it managed to shake off Latvia and skate to a 3-1 victory in preliminary round play May 3 during the 2005 World Championship in Austria.

Jānis Sprukts got Latvia’s only goal of the game on a power play 16:17 into the first period, according to game results posted on IHWC.net, the official Web site for the World Championship. The U.S. answered with its first goal 13:36 into the second period, when Doug Weight slipped the puck past Latvian goaltender Artūrs Irbe.

While both teams seemed somewhat evenly matched during the first two periods, the United States put on the heat in the third, getting off 17 shots on goal. Mark Parrish got the game-winning goal 7:44 into the third period while Latvia was down a player. Parrish added another goal two seconds before the final buzzer.

In all, the United States had 30 shots on goal compared to Latvia’s 17.

A total of 5,460 spectators—the majority of them Latvia fans, according to IHWC.net—watched the game in Innsbruck’s Olympiaworld center.

Latvia has now lost its first two games. Despite a surprisingly strong showing, Latvia on April 30 fell to Canada 6-4.

Latvia is expected to fare much better against Slovenia on May 5 in Innsbruck. Slovenia already has been shut out in games against Canada, 8-0, and the United States, 7-0. Latvia, Canada, Slovenia and the United States are competing in Group B of the 16-team championship. The top three teams in each group will advance to the quarterfinals, so a Latvian victory over Slovenia is a must.

Canada’s victory over Latvia’s national hockey squad in the preliminary round of the 2005 World Championship in Austria came as little surprise, but the trouble it took has observers talking.

Canada won 6-4 over Latvia in an April 30 game that many predicted would be much more one-sided, especially after Latvia’s head coach, Leonīds Beresņevs, opted to initially put Edgars Masaļskis in the goal rather than the veteran Artūrs Irbe.

The first goal of the game came 2:55 into the first period, when Canada’s Brendan Morrison scored on a power play. But Latvia’s Aleksandrs Semjonovs answered about a half-minute later, getting the puck past Canadian goalkeeper Martin Brodeur, according to official game statistics posted on IHWC.net.

During the second period, Canada’s offense turned up the heat, adding four more goals, while Latvia got just one more off the stick of Ģirts Ankipāns. After Canada’s fourth goal of the period, Irbe replaced Masaļskis as Latvia’s goalkeeper.

Canada’s 5-2 lead going into the third period may have appeared solid, but Latvia wasn’t quite finished. Just over a minute into the period, Jānis Sprukts scored on a power play. A few minutes later, Kārlis Skrastiņš added another point, bringing Latvia to within one goal of a tie with the reigning world champions. But then Canada’s Rick Nash, who had already scored two goals during the game, added another to push his team to its 6-4 victory.

Masaļskis had 24 saves on 29 shots on goal, while Irbe had 15 saves for 16 shots on goal. Canada’s Brodeur had 20 saves for 24 shots of goal.

The game, played in Innsbruck’s Olympiaworld center, was watched by 5,344 spectators.

Latvia next faces the United States in a game scheduled May 3 in Innsbruck.