Top-seeded America will tackle shock finalists Japan for the men's sledge hockey gold medal at the Vancouver Paralympics on Saturday after hosts Canada failed to make the title match.
Hours after underdog Japan beat Canada 3-1, effectively ending a nation's hope of its sledgers following in the gold medal glory of its men's and women's hockey teams at last month's Olympics, defending world champion America beat Norway 3-0, going through their first four contests without surrendering a goal.
The Americans will meet Japan Saturday for the gold, while Canada takes on Norway later Friday in the bronze medal game.
Going into the semi-finals undefeated with a 3-0 record, third-seeded Canada, the gold medal winners in Turin in 2006, got off to a good start when Marc Dorian scored at 9:56 of the first period on a power-play.
Japanese goalie Mitsuru Nagase then shut the door, stoning the hosts with some spectacular glove work, taking a shot off the head and stopping 19 of 20 shots in all.
After Japan captain Endo Takayuki got his team on the board halfway through the second period, converting a bad giveaway by Canadian forward Todd Nicholson to tie the game, Daisuke Uehara silenced the home crowd with just over a minute left in the game with a wrist shot to the top of the net.
Endo ended any chance of a Canadian comeback with 12 seconds left with a shot the length of the rink into the empty net.
"I knew that if we played Canada 1,000 times we lose 999 times, but not this time," said Japan coach Kojin Nakakita.
Goaltender Nagase added: "We knew we had to be physical with these guys, to take the hits. It is so amazing. I have never felt like this.
"I have been playing 15 years and we've never played for the gold, always fifth and sixth place."
Forward Greg Westlake who led Canada with 10 points through the preliminaries but was kept off the scoresheet against Japan, said his team deserved a better fate.
"We knew they are a good team - we just didn't score," said the Ontario native who had his under-developed feet amputated as a child.
"You need to score in games, you need to dig in and find a way through rough patches."
Westlake added Canada had to be ready for Norway, a team it beat 5-0 in the preliminaries, in the bronze medal game.
"We still have some work and I don't want to go home empty-handed."
On Thursday, Greg Shaw scored for the Americans near the nine minute mark of the second period, and Taylor Chace added another just over two minutes later.
Joe Howard scored a late goal three minutes from time.
Copyright 2010 AFP American Edition
