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| June 26, 2008
By Doug Jones/Rich Graham
TEAM USA remains undefeated, Chavira leads team
Itan Chavira scores seven points in playoff game
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Team USA Remains Undefeated Entering the Semifinal Round
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia - Itan Chavira (Big Bear, Calif.) notched seven points (2-5) as the U.S. InLine National Team defeated Austria 17-1 in the quarterfinal round of the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation InLine World Championship. The U.S. will face defending gold medalist Sweden in the semifinal round Friday.
"We came out strong today," said Darren Turcotte, head coach of Team USA. "We were able to build some momentum in this game and we'll have to keep it going against Sweden on Friday."
Pat Lee (Stevens Point, Wis.) started the scoring for the U.S. when he rushed by the Austrian defense and fired a low shot past goaltender Bernhard Starkbaum just 26 seconds into the opening quarter. Derek Kern (Kings Park, N.Y.) and James Beilsten (St. Charles, Mo.) each scored to give Team USA a 3-0 advantage. Steven Oleksy (Chesterfield, Mich.) netted the fourth U.S. goal of the period when he one-timed a pass from Kevin De Vergilio (Rockland, Mass.) at 5:34. U.S. netminder Jamie Bufalino (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.) stopped all three shots he faced in the first quarter before being replaced by Kyle Mikel (Centennial, Colo.) to start the second.
Lee Sweatt (Colorado Springs, Colo.) gave Team USA a 5-0 lead when he scored just 54 seconds into the second stanza. After Georg Privoznik scored the only Austrian goal at 5:29, Kyle Gouge (Wentzville, Mo.) answered 59 seconds later to regain Team USA's five-goal advantage. Beilsten, Lee and Chavira each scored to give the U.S. a 9-1 lead. Chavira's goal came with just one second remaining in the quarter, after receiving a give-and-go pass from Kern and shooting the puck under the outstretched blocker of Starkbaum.
The Austrians replaced Starkbaum with Peter Karrer to start the third quarter. Team USA scored four times in the frame, including a short-handed goal by De Vergilio at 7:43, to make the score 13-1.
Team USA kept up its relentless attack in the final quarter. Dan Comrie (San Diego, Calif.), De Vergilio and Sam Ftorek (Wolfboro, N.H.) each tallied to give the U.S. a 16-1 lead. Gouge chipped in the game's final goal at 8:44 after converting a feed from Tommy Bruce (Riverhead, N.Y.).
Mikel made 18 saves in the win.
Team USA's match-up with Sweden is scheduled for noon EDT.
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