USA blitzes Finland to reach gold medal game

The USA scored four goals on their opening seven shots of the game as they demolished Finland 6-1 on Friday to reach the final of the men's Olympic ice hockey tournament.

Forward Patrick Kane scored two goals and Ryan Malone had a goal and an assist in a blistering six-goal first period for the Americans who avenged a quarter-final loss at the 2006 Turin Games to Finland.

"It was a crazy 12 minutes," said Kane. "It was amazing to be part of something like that. It seemed like we were scoring every shift."

The anticipated goaltending duel between Finnish netminder Miikka Kiprusoff and Ryan Miller never materialized as the Americans moved through to the gold medal game on Sunday where they will tackle either Canada or Slovakia. It marks their first appearance in the title showdown since 2002.

"It was one of those games you don't want to give the other team any hope," Miller said. "I think that was one of the best games in the tournament because I got to watch most of it."

The USA dominated in almost every aspect of the game in front of a sold-out crowd of 17,602 at Canada Hockey Place arena.

They came charging out the gate scoring six goals in the first and chasing Kiprusoff out the net after just 10 minutes of play. Kiprusoff gave up four goals on seven shots, including two 32 seconds apart.

The Calgary Flames goalie was replaced by backup Niklas Backstrom who didn't fare much better as he surrendered two goals on his first four shots of the game.

Ryan Malone got things started in a first-period blitz for the Americans with the opening goal of the game on a gift from Kiprusoff.

The Finnish goaltender skated out of his crease to clear the puck from his zone and instead passed it right to the stick of Malone who shot into the empty net.

"I made a bad pass," Kiprusoff said. "I thought out defenceman was coming. I didn't take a second look and I put the puck right there, tape-to-tape."

Things went from bad to worse for Kiprusoff but he didn't get much help from his defence who allowed Zach Parise to steal the puck to help set up the USA's sixth goal by Paul Stastny.

"It was a great 15 minutes for us," Kane said. "It would have been nice to play a full 60. But we still have more in the tank. It's an awesome feeling to be going to the gold medal game."

Erik Johnson and Parise also scored for the Americans who had lost their last two quarter-final games to Finland in the 2008 and 2009 World Championships.

The 2008 game was spirited affair and included a game-ending brawl. But this was a totally different Finnish team that failed to show up Friday.

"It was something you don't want to experience, it is just unbelievable," forward Teemu Selanne said. "Six goals in the first period -- at this level the game is over."

With the game in hand, US coach Ron Wilson pulled Miller from the net halfway through the third and put in Tim Thomas, giving the backup his first minutes of the tournament.

Wilson wanted to get Thomas some ice time in case he is needed for Sunday's showdown.

Said American forward Ryan Kessler: "We jumped on them early. I have never seen a first period like that. It was special to be part of."

"We got a gritty, almost lucky goal to start off with and then we just kept coming in waves. It was almost like we were skating downhill on them and a lot of pucks were going in the net."

Antti Miettinen scored for Finland who were the lone Turin semi-finalists to return to the semis in Vancouver

Finland will now have to find solace in playing for the bronze medal against the loser of the Canada-Slovakia match.