Latvia one step closer to the quarter finals
08 May 2012 | Henrik Lundqvist
Latvia beat Italy 5-0 to win its second game of the championship and move up to third place in the Stockholm group.
Latvia scored 1-0 late in the first period and added another two goals in each of the next periods. Edgars Masalskis in the net saved 23 shots for the shutout and Latvia earned an important 5-0 win. The shutout was Latvia’s first in a World Championship since the game against Norway 2010.
The Latvian team is now at 6 points after 3 games and has a good chance to reach the quarter finals. Italy has 2 points after to overtime win against Denmark and may need some more points to avoid relegation from the top division.
Gints Meija scored the second Latvian goal
Photo: Tomas Schmiedt
Miks Indrasis, Oskars Bartulis and Ronalds Kenins all scored 1+1 today. Indrasis leads the team and is second in the championship with a total of 3 goals and 2 assists.
Italy played a very defensive hockey in the first period and the Latvians created just a few real scoring chances. Ronalds Kenins managed to score the important 1-0 goal at 18:24.
Gints Meija made it 2-0 early in the second period and Oskars Bartulis scored a PP goal late in the same period.
Miks Indrasis scores a beautiful breakaway goal early in the third period. After that goal Italy switched goalies. Daniel Bellissimo out – Thomas Tragust in. That didn't stop Latvians from scoring - Krisjanis Redlihs made it 5-0 at 42:31 and Latvia won 3 important points.
Bellissimo saved this one but he was later replaced
Photo: Tomas Schmiedt