It was a hard-fought game, but Latvia lost 5-3 to Germany on May 12, missing out on a spot in the quarterfinals and ending its run in the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship in Canada.

To get to the quarterfinals, Latvia had to beat Germany, while Norway had to lose to the United States. Earlier in the day, the U.S. team thrashed Norway 9-1, giving hope to Latvian fans.

Latvia scored first against Germany in the game played in Halifax. At 5 minutes, 1 second into the first period, Herberts Vasiļjevs dropped the puck past German goaltender Dimitrij Patzold, according to game statistics provided by the IIHF. Mārtīņš Karsums and Rodrigo Laviņš earned the assists. Germany responded at 18:45 on a power play, when Christopher Schmidt scored against Latvian goaltender Edgars Masaļskis. Christoph Ullman was credited with the assist.

At 5:48 into the second period, Miķelis Rēdlihs scored for Latvia, but two minutes later Germany’s M. Wolf answered with help from Christoph Schubert, tying up the game at 2-2.

Latvia’s hopes were lifted at 11:39 into the second period when Karsums’ goal moved the team ahead 3-2. Aleksandrs Niživijs and Vasiļjevs were credited with the assist.

But the middle of the third period proved fatal for Latvia. Germany scored three times just minutes apart, beginning with Schubert’s goal at 7:51 into the period. Florian Busch and Andreas Renz got the assists. Yannic Seidenberg, aided by Ullmann and Renz, scored next, lifting Germany ahead 4-3. To finish off, Ullmann got his second goal of the game at 12:51, helped by Sven Felski.

Latvia recorded a total of 34 shots on goal, compared to Germany’s 29. Latvians spent 42 minutes in the penalty box, compared to the Germans’ 24.

Additional tickets for this summer’s song festival in Latvia will not be available until after June 10, says Romāns Vanags, head of the Song and Dance Celebration Office in Rīga. After tickets for the most popular concerts sold out in just hours, Culture Minister Helēna Demakova in March told Vanags she wants more tickets made available.

The song festival office is recommending that two dress rehearsals be made public events to which tickets are sold, according to a press release. Appearing May 12 on Latvian Independent Television, Vanags said the July 5 dress rehearsal for the July 6 opening concert in the Mežaparks open-air theater in Rīga, as well as the dress rehearsal for the July 6 “Deju svētkiem – 60” folk dance concert in Arēna Rīga, would become public events. However, given their investment in preparing for these events, song festival participants would get the first opportunity to buy tickets, according to the press release.

Unsold tickets from the new public events, as well as additional seating arranged for the opening and closing concerts in Mežaparks and the grand folk dance performance in the Daugava stadium, would go on sale after June 10. Song festival organizers say nearly 4,000 additional tickets will be made available for both the opening and closing song concerts, plus 1,800 additional seats will be arranged for the dance performance.

The Mežaparks theater is undergoing construction to add seating for a total of almost 22,000 spots.

Vanags said a June 3 meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers will review the song festival budget, the office announced in a press release.

When additional tickets do go on sale, a limit will be imposed. That limit is yet to be determined. After tickets sold out quickly in March, rumors surfaced about scalpers buying up blocks of seats. However, the song festival office said, police have found no evidence that happened.

The 2008 Latvian Song and Dance Festival is scheduled from July 5-12. Program details are available by visiting www.dziesmusvetki2008.lv.

The International Ice Hockey Federation celebrates its 100th anniversary this year and as a gesture to the birthplace of hockey, this year’s World Championship is being held in Canada from May 2-18. Eight countries are competing in Québec City, Québec, and another eight are in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The semi-finals and finals will be held in Québec City. Latvia played in Halifax in a tough preliminary round group with Canada, the United States and Slovenia.

Approximately 1,000 Latvian fans arrived in Halifax to support the team. Most were from Latvia but others came from Toronto, Montréal and Halifax itself. A few arrived from the United States.

Four years ago, Latvia’s national team was one of the oldest. This year the team is noticeably younger and less experienced. The average age is 27. Even though more than a half of the team has played at some point in North America either as juniors or pros, most now play in Europe. Two players were based in Latvia last season and only three played in North American. Defenseman Kārlis Skrastiņš, the most prominent Latvian NHLer, did not participate due to a hand injury. Several American Hockey League (AHL) players were tied up with the playoffs and did not make it either, apart from talented Boston Bruins AHL minor-leaguer Mārtiņš Karsums, who arrived on May 10.

It is worth noting that with the changing of the guard on the national team, approximately two-thirds of the players are now ethnic Latvians.

Given the lack of experience playing the physical North American game, Latvia had a tough time against the United States and Canada, losing 4-0 and 7-0, respectively. The shots on goal differential against the U.S. was a lopsided 24-49, but against Canada a decent 30-37.

These results pointed to Latvia’s relatively weak offence when compared to the top teams. At a post-game conference Canadian coach Ken Hitchcock commented that Latvia missed a lot of chances but if they forced the net like teams in North America, the result could have been different.

Latvia’s game against Slovenia was critical for both teams. Slovenia had also lost both its games to the same opponents. The winner on May 6 would move to the qualification round while the loser would go to the relegation round and try to stave off demotion to the next tier. The Slovenes had NHL star Anze Kopitar and in Robert Kristan a hot goalie. They were not to be taken likely. However, this time Latvia won, 3-0. Aleksandrs Ņiživijs scored on a penalty shot midway through the second period while Aleksejs Širokovs added another goal. He pocketed a final empty net goal in the last minute. The Latvian team and fans finally got to see their flag raised and were able to sing their national anthem, “Dievs, svētī Latviju!”

In the first game of the qualification round, Latvia played Finland on May 9 losing 2-1 even though the team was outshot 64-27. The hero of the game was goaltender Edgars Masaļskis, who kept Latvia in the game. Two days later, Latvia beat Norway 4-1. The game against Germany on May 12 and results from other games will be deciding factors where Latvia places and whether it will make the quarterfinals.

Among the players, goaltender Masaļskis put in an excellent performance and is arguably Latvia’s most valuable player in this year’s championship. Also worth mentioning are the three Rēdlihs brothers: Miķelis, Krišjānis and Jēkabs, who played together on the team. Captain Rodrigo Laviņš put in a solid performance and Arvīds Reķis was a tower of strength on defense. Centres Jānis Sprukts and Herberts Vasiļjevs added experience down the middle. Forwards Lauris Dārziņš and Armands Bērziņš created a lot of opportunities but often failed to finish. Even though Karsums joined the lineup without being able to practice with the team, he put in a solid two-way performance against the Norwegians.

Los Angeles Kings forward and enforcer Raitis Ivanāns was the only NHLer on Latvia’s roster. At 6 feet, 4 inches (1.92 meters) and 220 pounds (100 kilograms), he brought a strong physical presence to the ice. Even though he took several needless penalties, he was quick to wade into the fray when the Americans and Canadian started charging Latvia’s goaltenders and to help out Latvia’s smaller forwards. His thundering check against a Slovenian player arguably helped Latvia break out of the 0-0 tie. This was Ivanāns debut at the World Championship and he showed those who thought he could only fight the value of a physical game.

During the championship, each team played one game in historical uniforms. In the game against Canada, instead of the usual maroon-white-maroon or white-maroon-white jerseys, Latvia wore dark blue replica uniforms from the 1936 Olympics.

Fans enjoy Halifax

Even though Latvia will likely not make it to the medal round, Latvia’s fans have once again been among the best. They were a common sight on the streets and in the bars of Halifax with their team’s jerseys. Their drums, horns, songs and chants were deafening at the Halifax Metro Centre venue easily surpassing what Canadian fans could muster when prompted by the electronic scoreboard.

Latvia’s fans got a lot of media attention and they were popular among the locals, even more so when Latvians supported Canada in games that Latvia did not play. Canadian fans would often take pictures of Latvians and were eager to share a beer or two. On the way to the Latvia–Slovenia game, two Canadians were overheard discussing who they should support. One said that he had never seen the likes of Latvian fans and, as a result, he was supporting Latvia.

Long-time Latvian Haligonian Roberts Dambergs had lined up The Economy Shoe Shop bar and restaurant complex as a home for Latvians. After Latvia’s games, hundreds of fans would show up. With support from the Rīga club Četri balti krekli, the complex’s Seahorse Tavern was rechristened Halifax balti krekli (Halifax White Jerseys) for the championship. Aldaris Zelta beer was served along with local brews and musicians Gunārs Meijers and Normunds Jakušonoks performed. Dambergs also created a Web site, Hokejs Halifaksā, with useful information for arriving fans. The information was also published in a ceļvedis or tourist guide that was distributed to departing fans in Latvia.

On days when Latvia did not play, Latvian fans spread out to check out Halifax, the famous Citadel from British colonial days, the renovated waterfront, the world famous Peggys Cove fishing hamlet and even farther to the Bay of Fundy to see the world’s highest tides. The World Championship was also an opportunity for Latvian enterpreneurs to visit local businesses and look for trade opportunities, as was reported in the Halifax Chronicle Herald.

On May 3 Latvia’s ambassador to Canada, Marģers Krams, hosted a reception at the Halifax World Trade Centre. Among the guests were Kirovs Lipmans, president of the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation; board member and former Latvian President Guntis Ulmanis; the team’s General Manager Māris Baldonieks; the team, including players, staff and coach Oļegs Znaroks; the Latvian federation’s Canadian representative Viesturs Zariņš; a number of younger Latvian fans from Toronto including Latvian Hockey Fan Club in Canada co-president Vilnis Blūms, and local Latvians led by Dambergs.

Before the championship, Latvia played an exhibition game against Belarus on April 26 in Montréal where both teams held their training camps. The score was tied 0-0 after regulation and an overtime period. It was finally settled in a shoot-out. Belarus won in the eight round. About 200 noisy Latvian fans from Montréal and Ottawa, plus a few from Toronto, were there to support Latvia. Following the game, the team came out to greet the fans and sign autographs.

For those Latvians in attendance, this year’s World Championship in Halifax has been a momentous occasion. Hockey is not only the most popular sport in Latvia but it plays a positive role in consolidating Latvian society. Hockey also creates a positive image for Latvia in the world worth its weight in gold.