Final round
RUSSIA VS. BELARUS
E Center
Friday, 11 a.m.
TV: MSNBC
SLAP SHOTS: Coach Slava Fetisov wants Russia to improve on its silver from Nagano in 1998. . . . Russian goalie Nikolai Khabinulin is capable of an Olympic shutout. . . . Belarus, a qualifier from the prelims, might be out-manned against teams loaded with NHL talent.
CANADA VS. SWEDEN
E Center
Friday, 4 p.m.
TV: CNBC
SLAP SHOTS: Coach Pat Quinn's Canadians go for their first men's hockey gold in 50 years. . . . The Swedes will sorely miss injured scoring star Peter Forsberg, who is out for the tourney. . . . Canadian defenseman Rob Blake should play despite a bout with the flu that caused him to miss his Wednesday NHL game. . . . Look for ex-Utah Grizzlies' goalie Tommy Salo of the Edmonton Oilers to start for Sweden. He's 7-3 in Olympic play.
CZECH REPUBLIC VS. GERMANY
The Peaks Ice Arena
Friday, 7 p.m.
TV: CNBC
SLAP SHOTS: The defending Olympic-champion Czechs have also won the last three World Championships. . . . A knee injury will keep Washington Capitals goalie Olie Kolzig from starting tonight for undefeated qualifier Germany, so German Leaguer Marc Seliger, who was super in the prelims, keeps his job. Kolzig may be available Sunday vs. Canada. . . . Brothers Martin (Germany) and Robert Reichel (Czeck Republic) are on opposite sides. . . . Czech goalie Dominik Hasek (8-3 in Olympic games) shut out Minnesota in Detroit's 2-0 NHL win Wednesday.
UNITED STATES VS. FINLAND
E Center
Friday, 8:45 p.m.
TV: NBC (first period), CNBC
SLAP SHOTS: Coach Herb Brooks' American men hope to win their first hockey gold since the 1980 Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid. . . . 1998 Hobey Baker winner Chris Drury from Boston University and the Colorado Avalanche looks to add American gold to the NCAA, Stanley Cup and Little League World Series championships he's already won. . . . Teemu Selanne tied Finnish teammate Saku Koivu for tourney-high scoring honors with 10 points, including four goals, at Nagano in 1998. . . . Finland is without Koivu, whose stomach cancer is in remission.
