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Latvia beats Austria in men's hockey
Associated Press
PROVO, Utah — Grigori Panteleev scored the go-ahead goal as Latvia's first Olympic hockey appearance in 66 years got off to a strong start with a 4-2 victory over Austria on Saturday night.
The crowd at the Peaks Ice Arena was decidedly pro-Latvian, with hundreds of the hockey-mad nation's fans chanting, pounding drums and waving flags.
Latvia was able to win even without NHL All-Star defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh top goalie Arturs Irbe — both still with their pro teams. The nation, which regained its independence during the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, is competing in Olympic hockey for the first time since 1936.
Vyacheslav Fandul and Igor Bondarev — who shot into a wide-open net — scored for Latvia in the first eight minutes. Austria got a late first-period goal from Oliver Setzinger, and tied it early in the second when Matthias Trattnig's shot from the side boards crossed up third-string goalie Sergei Naumov.
Panteleev, who once played minor league hockey in Salt Lake City, put Latvia up 3-2 less than five minutes into the second period, and Harijs Vitolin added an insurance goal midway through the second. Vitolin also had an assist, while Leonid Tambijev had two assists.
Naumov, a longtime North American minor leaguer, allowed the terrible goal by Trattnig, but stopped 26 shots as Austria outshot Latvia 28-19. Irbe will play for the Carolina Hurricanes Sunday night in San Jose and join Latvia for Tuesday's match against Germany.
Latvia joined Germany — a surprise 3-0 winner over Slovakia — atop the Group A standings. Only the group winner will advance to the second round.
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February 9, 2002
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