Canada can't get going

All this talent on the Canadians' men's hockey team, and nothing to show for it this weekend. No wins. No chemistry. Worst of all, no goals.

0 Canada, indeed.

Teemu Selanne scored his sixth goal in four games and Finland stayed unbeaten in Olympic round-robin play, beating gold medal favorite Canada, 2-0, yesterday in Turin -- the Canadians' second shutout loss in as many days.

The flying Finns -- and they certainly have been while going 4-0 -- overcame Canada's physicality and size advantage with excellent puck movement, transitional play, and a strong game in net by Antero Niittymaki, who made 24 saves.

Finland took advantage of Canada's unfamiliarity with the bigger international ice surface and a lack of continuity among Canada's four lines, which coach Pat Quinn juggled after a stunning 2-0 loss to Switzerland Saturday.

''We've certainly had a few games we don't like too well," Quinn said. ''We've had a lot of good individual play but that's not how you win a gold medal."

By winning, Finland secured the top spot in Group A and will play the fourth-place team from Group B in the quarterfinals Wednesday, almost certainly the United States (1-2-1).

Niko Kapanen also scored during a two-goal Finn first period and Niittymaki, of the Philadelphia Flyers, made the lead stand up even as Canada pressured repeatedly. Canada outshot Finland, 19-16, over the final two periods.

Czech Republic 4, Italy 1 -- Vaclav Prospal scored three goals as the Czechs (2-2) beat Italy to grab a spot in the medal round.

The Czechs welcomed back Jaromir Jagr, the New York Rangers star who leads the NHL in scoring. He played with nine stitches in his forehead and above his left ear after being cut by a vicious check into the boards by Finland's Jarkko Ruutu Saturday. Jagr did not play in the third period because the stitches under his helmet caused some discomfort.

Gunther Hell and Jason Muzzatti combined to stop 40 shots for the Italians (0-3-1), who will not advance to the quarterfinals.

Germany 2, Switzerland 2 -- Tino Boos scored the tying goal in the third period and Germany pulled off a surprise tie that followed Swiss upsets of gold medal favorite Canada and the world champion Czech Republic.

A day after beating Canada, 2-0, in one of the biggest upsets in international play in a half-century, the Swiss (2-1-1) took a 2-1 lead in the second period on Paul DiPietro's goal against a German team that had scored only five goals in three games.

But Germany (0-2-2) kept pressuring Swiss goalie David Aebischer over the final two periods and got the tying goal with about eight minutes left.

Slovakia 2, Kazakhstan 1 -- Pavol Demitra's rush into the Kazakhstan zone set up Marian Hossa's go-ahead goal in the third period and unbeaten Slovakia played only well enough to edge winless Kazakhstan.

The game meant nothing to Slovakia except to clinch first place in the six-team Group B -- and the Slovaks played like it, missing the intensity they had in beating the United States, 2-1, the night before.

Russia 9, Latvia 2 -- Ilya Kovalchuk scored four goals and Russia stormed into the quarterfinals with a dominating victory.

After dropping the opener to Slovakia, 5-3, Russia has won three straight by a combined score of 15-2. Evgeni Nabokov, who posted consecutive shutout victories over Sweden and Kazakhstan on 48 saves, was touched for a goal but improved on his perfect record despite facing only seven shots in two periods.