In brief

Czechs oust U.S. at world hockey event

By wire services
Published May 13, 2005

VIENNA, Austria - Tomas Vokoun stopped Andy Roach's backhander to give the Czech Republic a 3-2 quarterfinal shootout victory Thursday at the world hockey championship.

The Canucks' Martin Rucinsky scored the lone shootout goal, sending the Czechs into Saturday's semifinals against Sweden, which beat Switzerland 2-1.

The Stars' Mike Modano and Islanders' Mark Parrish put the Americans up 2-0 entering the third. The Predators' Marek Zidlicky cut it to 2-1 1:40 in with a wrist shot from the point that got past a screened Rick DiPietro. The Blue Jackets' Jaroslav Spacek tied it with 10:10 left, banging the puck in while the Islanders goalie was out of position.

After the Bruins' Mike Knuble hit the post on the United States' first shot, Rucinsky beat DiPietro with a backhander. Doug Weight went next for the Americans but also hit the post. Vokoun also stopped Modano and Parrish before sealing the win by stopping Roach, a defenseman who played in Switzerland this season.

Also, Canada beat Slovakia 5-4 on a goal with 4:22 left by the Bruins' Joe Thornton. It next faces Russia, which beat Finland 4-3 in a shootout in Vienna.

LOCKOUT: The league and union spent most of their five-hour meeting on how teams determine how much money they make or lose. It capped three days of talks that involved little true negotiating. Three days of talks are scheduled to start Thursday with the sides convening in smaller groups Tuesday and Wednesday.

Maria Sharapova, who can become the world's No.1 player by winning the Italian Open, beat Mary Pierce 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 in the third round in Rome. She next faces Elena Bovina, who beat Paola Suarez 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5). Sharapova squandered a 5-2 first-set lead, but Pierce hit backhands into the net to let Sharapova take control of the tiebreaker.

HAMBURG MASTERS: Top-ranked Roger Federer beat Tommy Robredo 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals in Germany. Federer is playing his first tournament after a three-week break to rest swollen feet.

FOREST HILLS CLAY COURT: Tampa resident James Blake reached the semifinals in New York by beating Hugo Armando 6-3, 5-7, 6-1. He next faces Juan Pablo Brzezicki, who beat Nathan Healy 7-6 (8-6), 6-0.

FRENCH OPEN: Martin Verkerk, the 2003 runnerup, and Edgardo Massa withdrew because of sore shoulders.

Soccer's place in the Games is at risk because its governing body isn't complying with global rules on drug sanctions. FIFA insists on six-month suspensions rather than the two years the World Anti-Doping Agency adopted.

PLAYER JAILED: Ex-Italian league player Josep Guardiola got seven months in jail, the first sentence under an Italian law passed in 2000 making doping a crime. Guardiola, who plays in Qatar and said he took nutritional supplements, will appeal.

CYCLING: Danilo Di Luca sprinted the last 100 meters to win the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia in L'aquila. He led Paolo Bettini overall by three seconds.

DIVING: China's Wang Feng and He Chong won the 3-meter synchronized final at the FINA Grand Prix in Fort Lauderdale. Three of their five dives had a degree of difficulty of at least 3.4 to help beat Canada's Philippe Comtois and Arturo Miranda by 61.74 points.

HORSES: Rafael Bejarano, the nation's winningest jockey in 2004, was treated and released from a hospital after being thrown by Independent Cat at Churchill Downs. Calvin Borel was thrown after Jet Angel tried to hurdle the filly but wasn't hurt. Independent Cat, a 3-year-old, broke her right front leg and was euthanized. ... Bandini , who finished 19th as the 6-1 third choice in the Kentucky Derby, chipped his right ankle and will have surgery. The Blue Grass Stakes winner was shipped to Ashford Stud in Lexington, Ky.

[Last modified May 13, 2005, 00:57:16]