US wraps up qualifying round with 9-1 rout of Norway

5/12/2008 8:59 PM

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) -New York Rangers forward Brandon Dubinsky scored three goals and the Americans scored three times in each period to wrap up their qualifying round at the world hockey championships with a 9-1 win Monday over Norway.

With the win, the U.S. (3-2) locked up third place in Pool F. The Americans, who already had clinched a quarterfinal berth before the game, next play Finland, which lost to Canada 6-3 on Monday.

``Now you're going to get into the guts of the tournament, the elimination games. That's when you find out about your club,'' said U.S. head coach John Tortorella. ``I think we have a good team and they'll be ready to play.''

Also Monday, unbeaten Russia got first-period goals from Dmitry Kalinin, Alexander Ovechkin and Maxim Sushinsky in a 5-3 win over Switzerland in Quebec City. In late games Monday, Denmark upset Belarus 3-2 and Germany beat Latvia 5-3.

The Americans scored a pair of goals 63 seconds apart midway through the first period. Dubinsky scored his first goal of the tournament, and Dustin Brown scored his fourth goal of the tournament slightly more than a minute later.

Dubinsky scored his second goal of the game on a rebound early in the second period, and completed his hat trick midway through the third on a shot from the right faceoff circle.

Norway's only goal came during a two-man advantage in the second period when defenseman Mats Trygg blasted a shot high over the glove of American goaltender Robert Esche. He stopped 17 shots in his second straight start.

Brown added a second goal in the third period. The U.S. also got goals from Patrick Kane, Paul Martin, Zach Parise and Phil Kessel.

``It's nice to get some guys confidence with scoring goals, getting points and making plays,'' said Kane, who was a rookie for the Chicago Blackhawks this season.

``It's going to help our team down the stretch here. But our next game is going to be a lot tougher, so we have to make sure we're up for it.''