U.S. Men’s Ice Hockey Team Routs Finland, Heads To Gold Medal Game

Vancouver, BC, Canada (AHN) – The U.S. Olympic men’s ice hockey team is just one win a way from the gold after blasting Finland 6-1 in the semifinal round of the Olympic Winter Games Friday.

Team USA added six goals during the first period, with five tallies coming in just over six minutes.

Ryan Malone made it 1-0, defeating Finnish goalie Miikka Kiprusoff to open the scoring for the U.S.

Zach Parise and Erik Johnson followed with two power-play goals for a 3-0 lead.

Patrick Kane scored twice, including an unassisted goal that shook Kiprusoff.

USA netminder Ryan Miller was terrific in goal, performing solidly as he has all season long for the Buffalo Sabres.

Miller turned aside all 18 shots he faced before Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas took over.

Paul Stastny capped off the scoring for Team USA with a one-timer past Nicklas Backstrom, who replaced Kiprusoff.

Backstrom made 16 saves on the 18 shots he faced.

Finland’s Antti Miettinen power play goal at 14:46 in the third ended the shutout.

The U.S. will play the winner of Friday’s semifinal match between Canada and Slovakia in the gold-medal game Sunday.

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