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Fatigued netminder Salo to sit out Sweden's first two games at WorldsPosted: Saturday April 26, 2003 3:23 PMTURKU, Finland (AP) -- Tommy Salo has decided it's best not to tempt fate. After giving up a bizarre goal that gave Belarus one of the biggest upset wins in Olympic hockey history, Salo finally managed to revert from "goat" to "hero" at last year's worlds, leading Sweden to a 2-0 shutout over Russia and eventually a bronze medal. However, the 32-year-old goalie has safely opted to sit out Sweden's first rematch against its Salt Lake City nemesis, citing fatigue. Sweden was scheduled to play Belarus on Sunday, but Salo said he preferred to wait until the team's game against Canada on Tuesday. Salo returned to Stockholm on Friday following Edmonton's 4-2 first-round elimination to Dallas, then immediately took a ferry across the Baltic Sea to Turku, Finland. The 32-year-old goalie told Sweden's head coach Hardy Nilsson it would be best if he skipped the team's opener against Latvia and even its second match with Belarus. "I spoke to Hardy and we agreed there was no point in me playing. With the time difference I'm tired," Salo said. It was a surprising decision from Salo, who is playing in his ninth worlds. A staunch patron of the Swedish national team who has never turned down an invitation to play for his country, Salo has always striven to start between the pipes at the worlds as early as possible. There is speculation Salo has no desire to once again face his Olympic demons. A tournament favorite heading into Salt Lake City and a 5-2 winner over eventual champion Canada in the prelims, Sweden was upset by hockey minnow Belarus in the quarterfinals when Vladimir Kopat scored on a 21-meter (70-foot) shot that bounced wildly off Salo's head with 2:24 to go. The blunder, which caused the toughest loss in Swedish hockey history, earned Salo the nickname "The Goat." Salo redeemed himself somewhat at last year's worlds, shutting out Russia 2-0 in front of his home fans in the preliminary round finale, to enter the second round with the maximum four points. The team ended up lifting the bronze medal for the second successive year. Salo won a world championship gold medal in 1998, shutting out Finland in both games of the quirky two-match in the final. He was named the best goalie in the tournament that year and also in 1997 and '99. The Swede said he would get some much-needed sleep Saturday night, some practice on Sunday and start Tuesday against Canada. Salo will face five of his Edmonton Oilers teammates in the match, with defenseman Eric Brewer, and forwards Shawn Horcoff, Anson Carter, Mike Comrie and Ryan Smyth making the trans-Atlantic trip for the maple leaf squad. "Canada has a good team," Salo estimated. "They can win this tournament." The Swedish team, looking for its first world championship gold since 1998, will rely on the goalkeeping skills of Henrik Lundqvist and/or Mikael Tellqvist for their first game.
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