Khabibulin shuts out Czechs

The Lightning goalie makes 41 saves to lift Russia to a semifinal matchup against the United States.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 21, 2002

PROVO, Utah -- It all came rushing out of Nikolai Khabibulin with arms raised and fists pumping.

All of the frustration about how he played in Russia's first three games. All of the joy in finally showing, in an elimination game against a bitter rival, the form he and everyone else has been expecting. "This game meant a lot to us," the Lightning goaltender said. "We didn't want to go home after today."

Khabibulin's 41 saves gave Russia a 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic on Wednesday at the Peaks Ice Center and a rematch with the United States in Friday's semifinals at the E Center.

In other quarterfinals, the United States defeated Germany 5-0, Belarus stunned Sweden 4-3 to set up a semifinal with Canada, a 2-1 winner over Finland 2-1. Khabibulin highlighted the day by outdueling Dominik Hasek, who announced he had played his last game for the Czech national team.

"I just hope nobody is ashamed of us," said Hasek, who led the Czechs to gold in 1998. "I hope everybody saw the effort."

The effort was huge. Khabibulin's was just a little bit bigger as he made Maxim Afinogenov's goal 4:48 into the second period stand up.

"They just have to kiss his butt right now in the locker room," Czech forward Robert Lang said.

Lang probably will be sticking pins in a Khabibulin voodoo doll after being stopped six times, once on an amazing play in which the out-of-position goalie dived to his right and took Lang's shot off his shoulder.

Petr Sykora was stopped six times, including once with 15 seconds left as part of a wild sequence in which Patrik Elias and Jaromir Jagr also were stopped. Robert Reichel and Khabibulin's Lightning teammate, Pavel Kubina, were stopped five times each.

Kubina played a terrific game. His shot from the slot with 6:45 left forced Khabibulin to make a great left-leg save. Khabibulin then got his glove on the ice to stop Jiri Dopita's rebound try.

Dopita also was snakebit, hitting the cross bar midway through the second period.

"He was unbelievable," Russia wing Pavel Bure said of Khabibulin. "He is the reason we won the game."

It has not been an easy tournament for Khabibulin. He was 1-1-1 in his first three games, allowed nine goals with a .890 save percentage, .038 lower than what he has with the Lightning. He needed IVs because of dehydration after a 6-4 victory over Belarus.

Coach Slava Fetisov said he never lost confidence.

"Nikolai has had a great season," he said. "And as a person, he is a fighter. And as a fighter, he is never satisfied. We knew all along he was going to be great."

"I'm just feeling a little bit better overall," Khabibulin said. "I had a great warmup and stopped a couple of shots early on."

And don't underestimate the energy generated by festering wounds.

The Czechs beat Russia in the 1998 gold-medal game. There also is lingering resentment among Czechs over the Soviet Union's invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Jagr wears No.68 to commemorate the tanks rolling into Prague.

"The games between Russia and the Czechs are always tough, and this game was more important than the previous three (in pool play)," Khabibulin said. "I don't think the coaches had to motivate us a lot to play well."

After the players celebrated, Khabibulin received a big hug from Russia assistant and legendary Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak.

"He told me before the game he really believed in me," said Khabibulin, who idolizes Tretiak. "He told me everything was going to be okay and not to worry too much."

Russia, thanks to Khabibulin, had nothing to worry about.

CANADA 2, FINLAND 1: Steve Yzerman's goal 15:49 into the second period was the winner, and Martin Brodeur was solid in goal. Joe Sakic scored three minutes into the game. Yzerman made it 2-0 off a feed from Mario Lemieux. Finland closed to 2-1 20 seconds later on a goal by Niklas Hagman.

"We did our best," Finland and Lightning center Juha Ylonen said. "But it wasn't enough."

Scott Niedermayer said Canada did not necessarily catch a break, drawing bottom-seeded Belarus: "They beat a tremendous team that beat us."

[AP photo] Brett Hull of the United States battles for control of the puck in front of the German net.

UNITED STATES 5, GERMANY 0: The United States got second-period goals from Chris Chelios, Tony Amonte, John LeClair and Brett Hull, the last three in a span of 2:05, to make it 5-0.

Jeremy Roenick scored in the first period. LeClair's goal was his sixth, and Mike Richter made 28 saves.

"We talked before the game about how a great team like Sweden was beat," Richter said. "I think that helped us get ready for this game."

U.S. forward Keith Tkachuk missed his second straight game with a deep thigh bruise.

BELARUS 4, SWEDEN 3: Vladimir Kopat's goal with 2:24 left was the winner, and goaltender Andrei Mezin made 44 saves for Belarus, which finished fourth in its pool. Sweden won its pool.

Sweden goaltender Tommy Salo deflected Kopat's shot into the net: "The shot hit me somewhere around the neck. I thought I could get a glove on it, but it somehow went in. I did my best."

So did Mezin.

"This was the biggest game of my career, for sure," said Mezin, who made 40 saves in Monday's 8-1 loss to the United States. "I didn't expect to beat them. Sometimes, even a gun without the bullet shoots, and that was us today."

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