05/11/2008 - Halifax, Nova Scotia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Finland scored three times in the third period, including what turned out to be a phantom goal, to upend the United States with a contentious 3-2 victory at the 2008 World Hockey Championships.
Teemu Selanne ended with a goal and an assist, while Ville Koistinen and Mikko Koivu also tallied for Finland, which rallied from a 2-0 deficit and is within a point of idle Canada for the top spot in the Group F standings. The two squads play on Monday to decide the winner.
Sunday's game, though, was controversial and even ugly at the end, as the IIHF acknowledged after the game that Koistinen's goal -- Finland's first, just 2:12 into the final stanza -- should not have counted, as it entered the side of the net. Even after several replays, the goal was allowed to stand. After the game, the governing body said the video judge was fired from the rest of the tournament.
But the goal, as it happened, counted, and Selanne scored the equalizer halfway through the third. Koivu's tally with 3:50 remaining was the difference. Finnish goaltender Niklas Backstrom stopped 20-of-22 shots in the win.
Robert Esche made 42 saves in the loss for America, while Phil Kessel and Tom Gilbert scored for the US, which sits in third place in Group F and plays Norway on Monday.
In addition to the controversial call, the game was filled with penalties, and the teams engaged in a post-game brawl after America's Dustin Brown checked Finland's Jussi Jokinen with a hit to the head.
In other tournament action Sunday, Marcus Nilson scored twice for Sweden, which earned a 5-3 victory over the Czech Republic. As a result, the teams are tied for second in Group E with Switzerland, one point behind Russia.
Patric Hornqvist, Mattias Weinhandl and Anton Stralman also scored for the Swedes, while goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stopped 36-of-39 shots.
Patrik Elias finished with a goal and an assist for the Czechs, while Ales Kotalik and Tomas Fleischmann also scored. Tomas Kaberle added a pair of assists, while Milan Hnilicka allowed four goals.
Both Sweden and the Czech Republic are finished qualifying play, while the Swiss and Russians play on Monday.
Also, Herberts Vasiljevs tallied the go-ahead goal late in the first period, as Latvia cruised to a 4-1 win over Norway.
Lauris Darzins registered a goal and an assist for Latvia, which can clinch the fourth spot in the Group F standings and a place in the quarterfinals with a win over Germany on Monday.
Lars Erik Spets netted the lone goal for Norway, which must beat the United States Monday afternoon or have Latvia lose to Germany in regulation time in order to secure the final playoff position.
In Quebec City, Paul DiPietro posted a goal and two assists to help Switzerland obliterate Denmark, 7-2.
The Swiss, with nine points, are bound for the quarterfinals, while the Danes remain pointless in Group E of the qualifying round.
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LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky was hospitalized Monday for undisclosed reasons after Lincoln police responded to a call at his residence.
The Nebraska athletic department said in a release Monday that Lucky was admitted Sunday night.
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A nursing supervisor at the hospital said all questions about Lucky were being referred to the athletic department. The athletic department said there would be no further comment from the department or Lucky's family.
A Lincoln Police spokesman said officers responded to a call at Lucky's residence 11:30 p.m. Sunday. The spokesman said he didn't know Lucky's condition at the time he was taken to the hospital.
Lucky, from North Hollywood, Calif., started six games last season as a sophomore and was the team's second-leading rusher, with 728 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 383 yards. He averaged 19.1 yards on eight kickoff returns.
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