Sweden's Peter Forsberg moves the puck past Finland's Antti-Jussi Niemi. Sweden defeated Finland, 3-2, in Sunday's gold-medal ice hockey game in Turin, Italy.

Turin, Italy ? The three crowns on Sweden’s hockey sweaters are said to represent three great kings. Try convincing any fan they don’t stand for hockey royalty: Forsberg, Sundin and Lidstrom.

Sweden’s three biggest stars came through in its biggest game ever, with Nicklas Lidstrom scoring the game-winning goal 10 seconds into the third period on assists by Mats Sundin and Peter Forsberg as the Swedes beat rival Finland, 3-2, Sunday for the Olympic men’s hockey gold medal.

Three stars and three goals combined to make for one huge celebration in Sweden, which once again established its on-ice superiority over its smaller neighbor. Finland had been unbeaten in seven Olympic games in Turin, playing near-perfect hockey, but again couldn’t beat the team it wants to beat most.

Cross country

Men

50km

Pragelato, Italy – With an impressive sprint in the home stretch, Giorgio di Centa finished in 2 hours, 6 minutes, 11.8 seconds, eight-tenths of a second ahead of silver medalist Eugeni Dementiev of Russia.

Austria’s Mikhail Botwinov took the bronze.