WinterSports2002.com, Wednesday, March 13, 2002

Americans to go for sled gold

U.S. assured of at least the silver after 6-0 rout

By Dennis Romboy
Deseret News Paralympics specialist

WEST VALLEY CITY — The former doormats of international sled hockey have a Paralympic silver medal regardless of what happens in their last two games.

But Team USA isn't satisfied.

"It's not enough. I thought about it before the game. It kind of crossed my mind after the game. It's not enough," said veteran goalie Manuel Guerra Jr. "We haven't even mentioned the word silver, so we're still hungry."

And so apparently are the fans who chanted "All the way, USA" in the sold-out E Center.

Guerra recorded his second shutout of the tournament Tuesday in a 6-0 rout of Team Sweden, sending the USA to it's first-ever gold-medal game Friday.

The opponent won't be determined until after round-robin play ends Thursday. Defending Paralympic champion Norway would be in with a win over Japan no matter what other teams do. The Americans beat the Norwegians 2-1 on Monday.

The undefeated United States meets Estonia on Thursday in the last preliminary game for both teams.

Team USA finished sixth at both the 1998 Paralympics and the 2000 World Championships and wasn't expected to fare much better this year.

Sweden forward Marcus Holm says it will take a perfect game to defeat the suddenly formidable United States, which came into the 2002 Paralympics seeded last.

"The team that plays USA has to work perfectly," he said. "Then you can beat them."

Sylvester Flis scored his second hat trick of the Paralympics. He netted a power-play goal in the first period, an unassisted short-handed goal in the second and an equal-strength goal in the third. His eight goals lead all nations.

One of the shifty defenseman's secrets to success lies under his sled. The 1-inch gap between the skate blades is the narrowest of any player on the ice. It allows Flis to make sharp turns and shake and bake without exerting much back muscle.

"The fake is very effective. You have to make the person in front of you think. He's going to see the sled wobble left and right, so all of a sudden you decide to go one way or another," he said.

Coach Rick Middleton, a former National Hockey League all-star, likens Flis to retired NHL greats Paul Coffey and Bobby Orr, whose jersey No. 4 Flis wears.

Like the two offensive-minded defensemen, Flis has "that incredible burst of speed and the knowledge of when to go and when to hang back."

Flis didn't do it alone, though.

Forward Jack Sanders, a former world arm wrestling champion, muscled two shots past Sweden goalie Kenth Jonsson.

NORWAY 6, ESTONIA 1:

Norway kept its gold-medal hopes alive with an easy win in a hard-hitting game against Estonia.

Helge Bjoernstad had two goals and two assists and leads the tournament in scoring with 13 total points. Norway poured it on, knowing point differential is one of the tie breakers used to determine medal-round teams.

Norway and Estonia, the two hardest checking teams in the tournament, combined for 30 penalty minutes, including a 10-minute misconduct for checking for behind for Estonia's top goal scorer Maksim Vedernikov.

JAPAN 2, CANADA 1:

Japan's huge upset nearly dashes Canada's hopes of reaching the gold-medal game. The top-seeded Canadians likely will wind up playing for bronze.

Goalie Mits Nagase was the hero for Japan, turning away 23 of 24 shots despite battling a head cold.

"We concentrated on defense. In past games, we've made mistakes that have cost us the game," he said.

Japan managed only eight shots but connected twice. Speedy forward Takayuki Endo scored the game-winner on a breakaway after stealing the puck from Canada's star Billy Bridges along the boards in front of the team benches. Endo streaked untouched to the net and flipped a shot past goalie Pierre Pichette.

E-MAIL: romboy@desnews.com

© 2002 Deseret News Publishing Company