May 9, 2002	Thursday	Safar 25, 1423

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GOTHENBURG (Sweden), May 8: Defending champions Czech Republic were knocked out of the world ice hockey championships after a surprise 3-1 quarterfinal defeat at the hands of Russia Tuesday.

The Czechs went into the game in Jonkoping having reeled off six straight wins, including a victory over Olympic champions Canada, while underdogs Russia had only scraped into the last eight on goal difference.

In Thursday’s semifinals, the Russians will face Finland, who scored a 3-1 win over the United States, while hosts Sweden meet Slovakia.

Alexei Koznev put the Russians ahead 15:47 into the game when he deflected a shot into the Czech goal.

The Czechs equalised four minutes into the second period on a shot by Jan Hrdina but the Russians hit back with two goals by Valeri Karpov.

The first came eight minutes into the second period on a deflection. Karpov then scored the third goal in the first minute of the final period.

Finland, who beat Russia in the first-round group stages, took charge of their game with the US after a goalless first period in Gothenburg.

After having missed a penalty, Kimmo Rintanen scored from a rebound of his own shot at 13:50 in the second period on a 3-on-1 rush, assisted by Tomi Kallio and Janne Niinima.

Ninety seconds later, Timo Parssinen set up Olli Jokinen for the second Finland goal.

Dan La Couture reduced the US deficit to 2-1 midway through the third period with a left-side shot on a pass by Derian Hatcher.

But Vesa Viitakoski shattered American hopes of a comeback less than two minutes later when he received a pass by Juha Lind in the neutral zone and skated in alone to beat goalie Ryan Miller with a backhand shot.

In the second surprise of the day, Slovakia beat Canada 3-2 in Karlstad, while Sweden eased past Germany 6-2 in Gothenburg.

Olympic champions Canada took a 2-0 lead with goals by Dany Heatley and Ryan Smyth and looked set for the semis.

But the Slovakians refused to give up and Peter Bondra halved the Canadian lead in the last second of the second period when he fired a shot into the net from the blue line.

Miroslav Satan of the Buffalo Sabres equalised in the fourth minute of the final period with a close range shot.

Less than a minute later, Bondra, who was voted best Slovakian player, grabbed his second goal of the evening on a slapshot.

Sweden trailed 2-1 to Germany after the opening period of their quarterfinal.

After a Swedish opener by Per-Johan Axelsson and an equaliser by Christian Ehrhoff, Germany took a shock lead in the last second of the first period.

Following a face-off in the Swedish zone, Ehrhoff hit a left-side shot past goalie Tommy Salo that Leonard Soccio clipped in from close range.

It then took Sweden more than 11 minutes to get back on level terms, with Ronnie Sundin scoring the first of his two goals from a close range rebound.

Pierre Hedin put the hosts 3-2 up from a pass by Niklas Andersson and the Germans then seemed to run out of steam.

Sweden took charge in the third period and finished in style with goals from Kristian Huselius, Sundin and Markus Naslund of the Vancouver Canucks.—Reuters