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05-09-2004, 12:22 PM
Bye bye Slovakia as USA bags bronze
USA finesse ultimately won the day in this tight bronze battle
Four slick penalty shootout goals by Chris Drury, Matt Cullen, Andy Roach, and Erik Westrum gave the USA a 1-0 win over Slovakia in Sunday's bronze medal tilt.
Miroslav Satan and Marian Hossa were both able to squeeze five-hole shots through USA netminder Ty Conklin, but misses by Pavol Demitra and Marian Gaborik doomed Slovakia's hopes for its fourth medal in five years.
The Slovak offense completely dried up in the Final Round, registering just four goals in three games en route to a fourth-place finish.
Final shots on goal favored the USA 35-25.
The USA won its first IIHF World Championship medal since 1996's bronze in Vienna. 1996 was also the last year in which both North American teams medalled at the tournament.
Story (http://live82.ihwc.net/english/article/recaps/index.ihwc?&artId=1863)
USA finesse ultimately won the day in this tight bronze battle
Four slick penalty shootout goals by Chris Drury, Matt Cullen, Andy Roach, and Erik Westrum gave the USA a 1-0 win over Slovakia in Sunday's bronze medal tilt.
Miroslav Satan and Marian Hossa were both able to squeeze five-hole shots through USA netminder Ty Conklin, but misses by Pavol Demitra and Marian Gaborik doomed Slovakia's hopes for its fourth medal in five years.
The Slovak offense completely dried up in the Final Round, registering just four goals in three games en route to a fourth-place finish.
Final shots on goal favored the USA 35-25.
The USA won its first IIHF World Championship medal since 1996's bronze in Vienna. 1996 was also the last year in which both North American teams medalled at the tournament.
Story (http://live82.ihwc.net/english/article/recaps/index.ihwc?&artId=1863)