In its first game of the 2005 World Championships qualifying round in Austria, Latvia’s ice hockey team has shut out Ukraine 3-0. But the squad now is set to face two tough Nordic teams as it takes on first Finland and then Sweden.

Latvia advanced to the qualifying round after defeating Slovenia in a preliminary round game May 5. Earlier, it had lost to both the United States and reigning world champions Canada.

Latvia and Ukraine held each other scoreless in the first period of the May 7 game in Innsbruck. Instead, they traded a series of two-minute penalties, according to game results posted on IHWC.net.

But 13:38 into the second period, Leonīds Tambijevs scored against Ukrainian goaltender Kostyantyn Simchuk.

Latvia’s second goal came off the stick of Kārlis Skrastiņš 5:15 into the third period. And with less than three minutes to go, Aleksandrs Semjonovs added a third goal.

Latvia got off almost twice as many shots on the goal as did Ukraine. Latvian goaltender Artūrs Irbe was credited with saving all 17 Ukrainian attempts to score.

Latvia plays Finland on May 9 and Sweden on May 10.

(CORRECTED 08 MAY 2005)