Golden Finnish

Slafkovsky stars

Teenage sensation Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice to lead Slovakia's men's ice hockey team to a historic first Olympic medal as it beat Sweden 4-0 to take bronze at the Beijing Games on Saturday.

As one half of the former Czechoslovakia, the country made several appearances on the Olympic podium and as an independent nation reached the semifinals at the 2010 Vancouver Games but lost to Finland in the bronze match.

"I don't know how we're going to celebrate but for sure it will be long," said forward Kristian Pospisil after receiving his medal.

"It means a lot for the whole country, not just for ice hockey in Slovakia"

Slovakia was determined not to be denied a medal a second time, 17-year-old prodigy Slafkovsky spearheading the attack with a pair of goals and Samuel Takac and Pavol Regenda getting one each while Patrik Rybar was unbeatable in net.

Sweden, an Olympic champion in 2006 and a silver medalist in 2014, had eased past Slovakia 4-1 in group play but this time faced much more inspired opponents playing with a hunger the Scandinavians could not match.

"It's an amazing feeling after all we went through to beat Sweden after a tough loss in the group stage-we get them back four goals. Amazing weeks and I'm so happy I'm part of this," said Slafkovsky.

Tipped as a top-five pick in this year's National Hockey League draft, the teenager finished the Olympic tournament as the leading goal scorer with seven.

REUTERS