* Sluggish Slovakia thrashed by neighbours Czech Republic
* Group E leaders Russia breeze past United States
* Latvia crush France to chalk up fourth straight win
By Brian Homewood
BERNE, May 2 (Reuters) - Czech Republic handed Slovakia
their worst-ever defeat at the world ice hockey championship on
Saturday by trouncing their neighbours 8-0.
In other one-sided games, Russia beat the United States 4-1
and Latvia chalked up their fourth successive win by hammering
France 7-1 and eliminating their opponents.
Jakub Klepis and Karel Rachunek had three assists while
Jaromir Jagr scored twice in the most one-sided meeting in the
history of Czech Republic-Slovakia matches.
Slovakia were a shadow of the side that took Finland to
overtime before losing 2-1 on Friday evening, although a gap of
just 18 hours between games helped make the difference.
"Right from the beginning we felt slow and gave them every
chance," said Slovakia captain Lubos Bartecko.
"I don't understand how we could play at such a high level
yesterday against Finland and then play so poorly today. It's
embarrassing."
"At this level every player must be able to manage
back-to-back games," Bartecko added. "You can't make excuses for
having a game yesterday."
The Czechs scored four goals in each of the first two
periods before easing off in the third.
The win took them into third place in Group F, ahead of
Belarus on goal difference.
The top four in the two six team groups qialfy for the
quarter-finals.
SHOOTOUT WIN
Oleg Antonenko gave Belarus a 2-1 shootout win over Finland,
whose point drew them level with leaders Canada.
Slovakia are fifth with two points, four adrift of fourth
place.
Russia increased their lead in Group E by beating the U.S.
who are in second place ahead of Latvia.
Lee Stempniak gave the U.S. an early lead but Oleg Saprykin
and Alexander Perezhogin scored off power plays to put Russia
2-1 ahead and Sergei Mozyakin added a third before the end of
the first period.
Alexander Radulov made it 4-1 off a Saprykin assist early in
the second period in another power play.
"Our best player was easily our goalie," said U.S. coach Ron
Wilson.
"We got scored against three times short-handed and our
power plays were not effective. The five-minute powerplay in the
second period could have been our chance to get back into the
match, unfortunately we didn't take it."
Martins Cipulis scored twice for Latvia while Aleksandrs
Nizivijs added a goal and two assists, Herberts Vasiljevs had
three assists and Martin Karsums two.
Lauris Darzins, Karlis Skrastins, Girts Ankipans and
Aleksandrs Jerofejevs shared the other Latvia goals.
(Editing by Ken Ferris
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