U.S. going for men's hockey gold By PAUL FRIESEN, QMI Agency

USA's Zach Parise gets a shot on Finland's Miikka Kiprusoff during first period action of Olympic men's hockey semifinal. (Andre Forget/QMI AGENCY)

VANCOUVER — The United States has booked its ticket to the Olympic gold-medal game with a 6-1 romp over Finland in the first of Friday’s men’s hockey semifinals.

The Americans chased starting goalie Miikka Kiprusoff from the Finnish net with four goals on seven shots, then built a 6-0 lead by the end of the first period.

Kiprusoff started the ball rolling by coming out of his net to clear a puck right onto the stick of U.S. forward Ryan Malone, who had an open net for his third goal of the tournament.

Patrick Kane scored twice for Team USA, which outshot the Finns 13-4 in the opening frame.

Tim Thomas, replacing Ryan Miller in the U.S. net in the third period, allowed the only Finnish goal.

The Americans will play the winner of the Canada-Slovakia semifinal in Sunday’s gold-medal game.