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Ice Hockey: Miller, Parise power USA into semis
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Feb 24, 2010
Vancouver (AFP) - Ryan Miller made 19 saves and Zach Parise scored twice as the United States beat Switzerland 2-0 to reach the Olympic hockey semi-finals on Wednesday.
Parise scored his second goal into an empty net for the Americans who advance to Friday's last four where they will play Finland who beat the Czech Republic by the same 2-0 score later in the day.
Miller, who backstopped Team USA to a shock 5-3 win over Canada in the preliminary round, earned his second win over the Swiss in Vancouver following the 3-1 victory in the opening game of the tournament.
"We moved the puck well. The Swiss are very organized and very frustrating," said Miller. "We knew if we kept working and getting chances we would be good."
Buffalo Sabres goalie Miller won the battle of the NHL netminders as he outduelled Anaheim Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller. Hiller was the busier of the two, making 42 saves, including 18 in the first period.
"He was special in net," Parise said of Hiller. "We just had to keep plugging away."
Parise's first goal came on the powerplay early in the third period with Swiss Philippe Furrer off for tripping. He also scored into an empty net with just 12 seconds left in the game.
"We just kept stressing to be patient and not force anything," Parise said. "In the third we were smarter and kept it simple."
The US had chances to put the game away in the second period but their powerplay failed to capitalize.
During one nine minute stretch the Americans had six minutes with the man advantage but couldn't beat Hiller, who was brilliant in goal for the Swiss.
"I thought we lost it a little bit in the second period," said US coach Ron Wilson, who spent six years playing in the Swiss leagues in the late-1970s.
Forward Sandy Jeannin had the best chance for the Swiss in the third period but his shot from the far boards hit the post and just stayed out.
The Swiss got a break in the final second of the middle frame when Hiller appeared to have deflected the puck into his own net for the first goal of the game.
USA forward Ryan Kesler passed the puck out from the corner and it hit Hiller then flipped in the air.
Hiller then tried to swat it out of trouble with his stick but he got just a piece of it and it bounced off his back into the net as the buzzer sounded to end the period.
The play went to video review and the officials ruled the buzzer had sounded before the puck crossed the goal line.
"We kept putting pucks at him and kept the traffic in front of him. When you are trying that hard it feels really good to put the puck in," Parise said.
The Americans had a goal called back in the third period when a long shot from the point beat Hiller but the goal was waved off because of a delayed penalty on Kesler.
"We have no regrets. We gave everything," Swiss defenceman Luca Sbisa said.
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