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Americans advance after overcoming Latvia 3-1

Erik Cole, front, of the US, Latvia's Karlis Skrastins, left, and Grigorijs Pantelejevs in action during their Group B game during the World Championship in Innsbruck, Austria on Tuesday. The US won the game and will now face Canada for the group title. PHOTO: EPA

Mark Parrish had two goals and the US rallied from a goal down to beat Latvia 3-1 Tuesday, clinching a second-round berth at the World Hockey Championship.

The Americans, 2-0, will play Canada for first place in their group finale today. Earlier, two-time defending champion Canada routed winless Slovenia 8-0 for its second straight win.

The Czech Republic also secured a berth in the next round by blanking Germany 2-0 in Vienna behind goals by Pavel Kubina and Petr Sykora.

Doug Weight also scored for the US, a bronze medalist in last year's worlds.

Janis Sprukts notched a power-play goal for Latvia late in the first period after American goalie Ty Conklin had been whistled for a delaying-the-game penalty.

All alone in front of Conklin, Sprukts shot low and the puck hit the inside of the American goalie's left post and bounced in.

"We were flat in the first period with no real excuse," Weight said. "They [Latvia] work hard. They've got a lot of heart. We knew we were going to be up for a big game. You got to win the close games and we did. We'll certainly try to be better in the next game."

Conklin, 9-1-1 in his last 11 games for the US, was lucky when he saved the puck on the goalline after a breakaway by Mikelis Redlihs early in the second period.

Erik Cole created the tying goal at 13:36, skating down the left flank, and Weight one-timed a backhander from close range into Irbe's roof for his first goal in the tournament.

Weight set up the go-ahead goal with a nice pass from behind the net, and Parrish beat Latvian goalie Arturs Irbe from close range.

With Irbe replaced by an extra attacker in the closing seconds, Parrish added an empty-netter with two seconds left.

Thousands of Latvian fans travel to the worlds every year and they're one of the loudest in European hockey, but Parrish didn't mind.

"It's fun to go into a hostile environment like that, and especially come out win the win," he said. "The Latvian fans are great. It's one of the games you look forward to play. They stand up there singing, they're chanting the whole time. It makes for a great atmosphere."

Joe Thornton and Brendan Morrison scored two goals each to lead Canada in the early game at Innsbruck's Olympiahalle, site of two Olympic tournaments. Kirk Maltby, Simon Gagne, Rick Nash and Ryan Smyth scored the other goals.

"So far, so good," said Thornton, who also had two assists playing on a line with Nash and Gagne. "My linemates can put the puck in the net, so as long as we keep the puck down low and get some shots, I think we can score some goals."

Nash, who had a hat trick in the opener, now has four goals.

Roberto Luongo replaced Martin Brodeur in goal for Canada and faced just 12 shots. The Canadians outshot Slovenia 56-12.

Slovenia, playing in hockey's top annual event for the first time, lost to the Americans 7-0 in its opener and must beat Latvia in its last game to avoid relegation play.

Thornton, who played for Davos in Switzerland this season during the NHL lockout, gave Canada a quick 2-0 lead with goals at 1:03 and 5:08 in the first period.

Morrison, who spent the season with Linkoping in Sweden, scored off a rebound to give Canada a 3-0 lead at 13:17. Morrison scored again -- his third goal in two games -- early in the third period to make it 7-0.

Players got a scare late in the first period when a news agency's still camera, mounted on the metal grid under the ceiling that holds lighting, fell onto the ice and smashed into pieces in front of the Slovenian net.

No one was hit as play was at the other end of the ice at the time, but players voiced their concern to game officials. Some photographers place cameras operated by remote control above the nets.

Jaromir Jagr left the Czech-Germany game in Vienna's Stadthalle halfway through the second period after apparently breaking the little finger on his left hand after a slash from German defenseman Stefan Schauer.
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