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U.S. Eliminated From Hockey Worlds
May 12, 2005
Roach held the United States' hopes on his stick but Tomas Vokoun stopped
his backhander, giving the Czech Republic a 3-2 quarterfinals victory
Thursday at the world hockey championship.
Martin Rucinsky netted the lone shootout goal, sending the Czechs into
Saturday's semifinals against Sweden, the runners-up the past two years.
Sweden beat Switzerland 2-1 on Thursday in Innsbruck.
Canada beat Slovakia 5-4 in Innsbruck to advance to the semifinals. The
two-time defending champions will face Russia, a 4-3 winner over Finland
in another game decided by a shootout in Vienna.
A year ago in Prague, Roach knocked the host Czech Republic out of the
quarters with the only goal in that shootout. Vokoun took a lot of blame
for that loss.
''Tomas pulled some big saves in the penalty shootout, keeping a clean
sheet,'' Czech coach Vladimir Ruzicka said. ''I'm very happy for Tomas
because not all our fans had confidence in him.''
Vokoun was beaten last year by Roach's left-right move that created an
open net. But this time, Vokoun snagged Roach's shot with his glove and
immediately raised his arms in celebration.
''He obviously knew what I did last year, so I tried to do a little
different and go to the backhand, and he made a great save,'' Roach
said. ''They had the momentum going into the overtime and the shootout,
scoring the two goals late.''
The United States, which squandered a 2-0 lead, won't get the
opportunity to match or top its bronze medal of 2004.
Roach, a defenseman who played in Switzerland this season after four
years in Germany, was the last of five U.S. skaters in the shootout. He
needed to score to even the tiebreaker at 1, but was the fifth shooter
stopped by Vokoun -- the Nashville Predators' star goalie.
Mike Modano and Mark Parrish staked the Americans to a 2-0 advantage
that carried over to the third period.
Marek Zidlicky cut it to 2-1 at 1:40 with a wrist shot from the point
that got past screened goalie Rick DiPietro. Jaroslav Spacek tied it at
9:50, banging the puck in while DiPietro was out of position after heavy
Czech pressure.
''We kind of let our guard down a little bit in the second period,''
Roach said. ''Sometimes that's what happens. It's not bad luck.''
Neither team would score again, even after a 10-minute, sudden-death
overtime period.
After Mike Knuble missed on the United States' first shootout attempt,
Rucinsky solved DiPietro with a nifty backhander.
Doug Weight went next for the U.S., but hit the post.
DiPietro, the 23-year-old goalie from the New York Islanders, made 50
saves before the shootout. He gave the Americans a chance to tie it by
stopping three straight Czech attempts, but Vokoun made Rucinsky's goal
stand up by turning aside Modano, Parrish and Roach.
''It's a tough way to lose. It is something I'm not a big fan of,''
Modano said of the shootout. ''You play 70 minutes, then it's tough to
come out on a breakaway with any confidence not knowing what the puck is
going to do, whether it's going to sit down or you're going to have some
bobble on you.''
Zach Parise, who failed on a penalty-shot attempt in the United States'
1-1 tie with Ukraine in the second round, wasn't called upon again by
coach Peter Laviolette.
Modano gave the Americans a 1-0 lead 9:18 in when he steered in a pass
from Erik Cole for the captain's third goal in seven games. Parrish made
it 2-0 at 5:47 of the second with a backhander that found the top of the
net during a power play.
Vokoun made 11 saves in the third period and overtime, keeping his team
in the game.
''The overtime period is always a shaky period, but the penalty shootout
was great ... I had a lot of fun out there,'' Vokoun said.
Canada advanced by rallying from three one-goal deficits. Joe Thornton
scored his sixth goal of the tournament with 4:22 remaining to put
Slovakia away.
Simon Gagne had two goals, and Dany Heatley and Ryan Smyth also scored
for Canada.
''Smitty, Mo and myself pride ourselves on playing in the big games, and
I think we played well,'' Heatley said of his line that includes Smyth
and Brendan Morrison and combined for four points. ''We were strong in
our end. We shook off the early goal, gutted it out, and wore them
down.''
Pavol Demitra scored twice for Slovakia. Marian Gaborik and Michal
Handzus added goals.
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