Finland scores late goal to eliminate U.S. 2-1

By Dave Campbell ~ The Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Saku Koivu's unchallenged goal with 3:54 left Friday night lifted Finland to a 2-1 victory over the United States in the World Cup of Hockey semifinals.

The Americans, who led 1-0 with 15 minutes remaining, were denied a chance to defend their 1996 World Cup title. The Finns advance to Tuesday's championship game in Toronto, where they will play either the Czech Republic or Canada -- who play Saturday in the other semifinal.

Koivu and his teammates swarmed goalie Miikka Kiprusoff when the horn sounded, and the mob of blue jerseys slid back toward the boards to celebrate their trip to the final.

Doug Weight's power-play goal on a pretty pass from Scott Gomez gave the U.S. team and goalie Robert Esche the lead midway through the second period, But Kiprusoff kept Finland in it with another sound performance in the net.

Kiprusoff -- whose Calgary Flames beat U.S. coach Ron Wilson's NHL team, the San Jose Sharks, in the Western Conference finals last season -- made 16 saves. Esche stopped 10 shots.

Olli Jokinen knocked in a loose puck to tie game at 1 early in the third, snapping the Finns out of their slumber after managing just seven shots on net through the first two periods.

A defensive lapse cost the U.S. team when it counted, though.

Ossi Vaananen sent a pass across the ice to Koivu, who was camped out at the right post. He bobbled the puck twice but still had plenty of time to put an uncontested shot in as Brian Leetch and Tony Amonte arrived too late.

The first period was clearly to Finland's liking -- a slow, scoreless, brutish 20 minutes that included a total of seven shots on goal. As perhaps Europe's most physical team, the Finns are closer to the Canadians and the Americans in style -- and they like to hit. The game was filled with tussles, several between the benches as players came on and off the ice.

The pace picked up after the first intermission, and the Americans put the pressure on Kiprusoff -- constantly running bodies in front of the net and shooting from the side. Jason Blake's breakaway shot was kicked away by Kiprusoff, but Team USA got on the board few minutes later.

Paul Martin, who starred at the University of Minnesota, won a faceoff with his team one man up and handed off the puck to Gomez in the right circle.

Gomez zinged a perfect pass across the ice, through traffic, to a streaking Weight -- whose one-timer sneaked into the net.

The Finns tied it midway through the third period with a few fortuitous bounces. Teppo Numminen's shot glanced off two American defenders between the circles, and Jokinen turned around to find the puck right in front of him. He slammed it in to tie the game.