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February 22, 2006 | 4:19 p.m.
 2006
Winter Olympics
They're Done
Hockeyjournal.com staff reports
The U.S. Men’s Olympic Team pretty much
did everything it didn’t want to do as it battled Finland
in the quarterfinals Wednesday in Turin, Italy.
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Mathieu Schneider
GETTY |
The Americans took too many penalties (11 total)
throughout the contest, and they dug themselves into a 2-0 hole
with just 12:01 off the clock.
Although they showed some resiliency in battling
back to even the score at 2 early in the second period, the Americans’
inability to stay out of the penalty box fueled Finland’s
drive to the semifinals.
Two power play goals by Florida Panthers forward
Olli Jokinen – at 5:06 and 17:10 of the middle session –
gave Finland its last lead, en route to a 4-3 triumph.
The U.S. finished its run through the Olympics
with just a 1-4-1 record – with its only win coming against
lowly Kazakhstan.
After Ville Peltonen and Sami Salo put Finland
ahead, 2-0, former Boston Bruins and current Philadelphia Flyers
winger Mike Knuble put Team USA on the board with 6:46 left before
the first intermission.
Just 1:29 into the second, Detroit’s Mathieu
Schneider (Mt. St. Charles, R.I.) evened the score with a goal assisted
by Brian Rafalski and Craig Conroy.
But Jokinen’s two goals put Finland ahead,
4-2, before the third period.
With 4:27 left in regulation, New Jersey winger
Brian Gionta (Boston College) pulled Team USA within one. Chris
Drury (Trumbull, Conn./Boston University) and Erik Cole assisted
on the score.
But even with Rick DiPietro (Winthrop, Mass./Boston
University) out of the net, the U.S. couldn’t score the equalizer.
DiPietro finished with 21 saves, while Philadelphia’s
Antero Niittymaki stopped 25 shots for Finland.
Sweden 6, Switzerland 2: Boston
Bruins winger P.J. Axelsson (one assist) was one of 13 Swedish players
to register at least one point in the victory.
Czech Republic 3, Slovakia
1: After a perfect 5-0 run through the preliminary round,
Slovakia fell. B's rookie defenseman Milan Jurcina didn't register
a point and posted an even rating.
Russia 2, Canada 0
Russia vs. Finland
Czech Republic vs. Sweden
Hockeyjournal.com staff
can be reached at feedback@hockeyjournal.com.
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