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On To The Gold Medal Match!

With a 6-goal barrage in the first period, the USA hockey team shot past Finland and into the gold medal match where they will meet Canada in a highly anticipated rematch of the preliminary round meeting between the two that USA won 5-3.  Finland goalie Miikka Kiprusoff is known for often being a dominating force in net for his NHL team, the Calgary Flames, but was reduced to pondering and staring at the scoreboard for almost the entire game after he helped get the USA hockey puck rolling by giving away the puck on a very odd-looking passing decision just over two minutes into the contest.  For the Americans, it was all downhill from there.

Patrick Kane lead the scorers with 2 goals, while it was Ryan Malone who got things started with his interception of Kiprusoff’s errant pass and put the puck into the empty net.  Zach Parise, Erik Johnson and Paul Stastny also scored during the opening period – the only period the US would need to apply pressure in on the day.

Kiprusoff was pulled just after the 10-minute mark when he allowed his fourth goal of the period (on just 7 shots) and his day was done.  It was really shocking to see Kiprusoff looking so powerless out there on the ice in such a crucial match.  This was a win-and-your-in-to-the-gold-medal-match game, after all, and Kiprusoff is known more for standing on his head in the crease than allowing soft goals or giving the puck away as he did.

I can’t wait for the rematch with Canada.  I don’t normally like rematches but this one should be excellent… and for the gold!