Icehockey-Plekanec helps Czechs thrash Belarus at worlds

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MOSCOW, April 27 (Reuters) - Tomas Plekanec scored two goals and set up another as the Czech Republic opened their account at the ice hockey world championships with an 8-2 pounding of Belarus on Friday.

In other opening day action, goaltender Fredrik Norrena, who had three shutouts at the 2006 world championships, was again in unbeatable form, making 25 saves as Finland blanked Ukraine 5-0 while the United States got goals from six different scorers in a 6-2 victory over Austria.

The Czechs, world champions in four of the last eight years, took an early 2-0 lead in a fast-paced opening period with Jaroslav Hlinka and Columbus Blue Jackets' David Vyborny converting powerplay chances.

Oleg Antonenko trimmed the deficit to 2-1 but Plekanec answered back just 13 seconds later and Florida Panthers' Rostislav Olesz added one to send the Olympic bronze medallists into the first intermission with a commanding 4-1 lead.

"Today is only the first day so it is too early to talk about favourites," Czech coach Alois Hadamczik told reporters. "Next is Austria and we are the favourites so we must play like favourites."

The teams traded goals in the second period, Petr Sykora connecting for the Czechs and Antonenko notching his second of the night for Belarus.

But the Czechs showed their class in a one-sided final period, Plekanec, Jan Marek and Zbynek Irgl all finding the net to complete the rout.

"In North America they would call that game an old fashioned butt-kicking," said Belarus coach Curt Fraser. "It wasn't pretty."

Keywords: ICE HOCKEY WORLD/CZECH