Canada glides for gold in ice hockey

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The Canadian men’s ice hockey team did its job on the Olympic ice Friday, setting up a gold-medal game against the United States on the last day of the Vancouver Games, and German skier Maria Riesch did her job on the slopes.

Canada also moved to the top of the medals table after winning two events in short-track speedskating. The host country now has 10 golds, one more than Germany and two more than the United States and Norway. There are 13 medal events still to go.

Patrick Marleau, Brenden Morrow and Ryan Getzlaf scored a goal each as Canada hung on to beat Slovakia, 3-2, in the semifinals of the men’s hockey tournament, a day after the women’s team beat the United States to take gold. The men’s final will be played Sunday and the medals from the game are the last scheduled to be awarded of the games.

Earlier, the Americans easily beat Finland, 6-1, scoring all six goals in the first period and forcing Finland goalie Miikka Kiprusoff out of the game early.

“We haven’t won anything yet,” United States forward Zach Parise said. “We’re getting better and that’s the most important and rewarding thing.”

Riesch earned her second Olympic gold medal of the Vancouver Games in the slalom, leading the first run and winning in a combined time of 1 minute, 42.89 seconds despite driving snow. (AP)

“I really can’t describe how good it feels,” said Riesch, who also won the super-combined.

Lindsey Vonn of the United States, who won medals in the opening two events, missed a gate in the first run – the third straight race in which she has failed to finish.     (AP)