Belarus stuns Sweden to advance
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Updated: 2002-02-21 09:20

Qualifier Belarus pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Olympic ice hockey history on Wednesday, beating Sweden 4-3 to advance to the semifinals.

The Swedes had looked to be the strongest team in the tournament coming into the single-game knockout quarterfinals, behind the superb goaltending of Tommy Salo.

But the Edmonton Oilers netminder let in three bad goals, including the winner by Vladimir Kopat with just over two minutes remaining.

Kopat's slapshot from just inside centre ice glanced off Salo's facemask and trickled into the net, giving Belarus its biggest win ever.