WinterSports2002.com, Wednesday, February 20, 2002

Face-off fodder

By Jody Genessy and Associated Press

MEDALS ROUND

Single-elimination quarterfinals

(Semifinals — Sweden-Belarus winner vs. Finland-Canada winner and Czech-Russia winner vs. U.S.-Germany winner on Friday. Wednesday's losers are out.)

SWEDEN VS. BELARUS

E Center

Wednesday, 11 a.m.

TV: MSNBC

SLAP SHOTS: Former Utah Grizzlies star Tommy Salo is the highest-rated goalie — 95.9 save percentage, 1.50 goals-against in 2 impressive wins . . . Sweden's Mats Sundin is the scoring leader with seven points . . . This is the second time in a row Belarus has qualified for the elite eight.

FINLAND VS. CANADA

E Center

Wednesday, 8:15 p.m.

TV: NBC

SLAP SHOTS: "We've taken our lumps the last five days," said Canada executive director Wayne Gretzky. And the Great One believes our northerly neighbors are aboot to turn up the heat on the ice . . . On the injury front, Gretzky says Theo Fleury is "banged up" from that Czech check but that Eric Lindros and Mario Lemieux are good to go . . . Canada went 1-1-1 in the final round; Finland won two in a row after getting blasted by the U.S.

CZECH REPUBLIC VS. RUSSIA

The Peaks Ice Arena

Wednesday, 1:30 p.m.

TV: MSNBC

SLAP SHOTS: Dominik Hasek, who only allowed one goal while leading the Czechs to the gold medal in 1998, is only ranked fifth among netminders this time . . . Czech Republic has best power play and penalty kill among quarterfinalists . . . Russia scored as many goals (nine) as it allowed in three games.

UNITED STATES VS. GERMANY

E Center

Wednesday, 4 p.m.

TV: NBC

SLAP SHOTS: The United States' goalie-by-committee worked wonders in the final round, but look for coach Herb Brooks to use one starter — likely Mike Richter — in the medals round . . . Richter, Mike Dunham and Tom Barrasso combined to put the U.S. atop the team goalkeeping statistics — 95.8 save percentage and 1.0 goals-against . . . Germany's Marc Seliger is ranked No. 3 in goalies who played the majority of the game for their teams.

© 2002 Deseret News Publishing Company