Czechs eliminate US in shootout

GANGNEUNG, South Korea — Pavel Francouz stopped all five shooters and Petr Koukal scored the shootout winner, and the Czech Republic eliminated the United States from the Olympics with a 3-2 victory in the quarterfinals Wednesday.

Jan Kovar and Tomas Kundratek scored in regulation for the Czech Republic, which was fresher after winning its group and getting a bye into the quarterfinals. The U.S. looked fatigued after facing Slovakia in the qualification round a day earlier and was outshot 29-20.

Ryan Donato and Jim Slater scored for the U.S, which again was led by its youngest players, including speedster Troy Terry. U.S. goaltender Ryan Zapolski allowed three goals on 29 shots and one in the shootout, while Francouz stopped 18 in regulation and overtime.

Terry continued skating around opponents as he has done all tournament, and 6:20 in gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead. Terry sliced down the left wing and dished it to Donato, who used a double Czech Republic screen to beat Francouz.

The goal was Donato’s fifth in five games, passing his father and Harvard coach, Ted, who scored four for the U.S. at the 1992 Olympics in Albertville.

“It always comes down to the smallest plays, and I think at the end of the day you’ve got to be able to capitalize on those plays to win a game,” Donato said. “It didn’t go the way I wanted it to and we wanted it to, but it comes down to those things.”

Russia charged to a 3-0 lead at the end of the first period, outshooting Norway 19-2, to set up a semifinal against the Czech Republic. No Russian team has won a medal since 2002, with the last gold won by the post-Soviet Unified Team in 1992, also under the Olympic flag. Patrick Reimer scored in overtime and Danny aus den Birken made 31 saves to put Germany into a semifinal with an upset of top-seeded Sweden. Germany advanced to face Canada in the semifinals and has a chance to win its first Olympic medal since 1976, when it was West Germany. Canada advanced with a gritty win over Finland, but lost starting goaltender Ben Scrivens to an undisclosed upper-body injury. Scrivens started the game but gave way to Kevin Poulin at 4:17 of the second period after a crushing Eric O’Dell check sent a Finnish player flying into the Canadian goaltender. Scrivens briefly remained in the game, but came out at the next stoppage. Maxim Noreau scored 55 seconds into the third period.