LISTON’S SHUTOUT HELPS PACIFIC ELIMINATE CZECH REPUBLIC

COCHRANE, Ont. – Take another team out of the running for a semifinal spot at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Just hours after Finland and Atlantic had their gold medal dreams dashed, the Czech Republic joined them on the outside looking in after a 3-0 loss to Pacific on Friday night. The defeat means that the Czechs will not play in Sunday’s semifinals, regardless of the result of their preliminary round finale against Russia on Saturday.

Liam Liston made 13 saves to record his first win, and first shutout, of the tournament for Pacific, which got goals from Myles Bell, Colin Smith and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the victory. With the U.S. already slotted into the semis thanks to its 3-0 start, it will come down to Pacific (2-1) or Russia for the other berth.

Bell’s power play goal just past the midway point of the first period, his third man-advantage goal of the tournament, stood up as the game-winner, and was the game’s only goal until Smith and Nugent-Hopkins tallied for the Canadian side 61 seconds apart in the dying minutes.

The Czechs (0-0-1-2) suffered a serious blow to their semifinal chances on Thursday, when they dropped an overtime decision to Atlantic despite holding leads of 3-1 and 4-3. They will play in a placement game on Sunday in either Timmins or Iroquois Falls.