Briefly

The United States routed Slovenia 7-0 in its opener at the hockey world championships Sunday at Innsbruck, Austria, with Mike Knuble scoring two goals and goaltender Rick DiPietro facing only 15 shots.

Slovenia, a newcomer to international hockey’s top annual event, was greeted with a goal by Knuble 31 seconds after the opening faceoff. It was one of the fastest goals in the history of the worlds.

“In the NHL I had two goals in the first 27 seconds, set a record once there for the fastest two goals in a game,” said Knuble, an eight-year NHL veteran who played in Sweden this season. “I could have had a hat trick (today), but I never get hat tricks so I wasn’t expecting one.”

Adam Hall, Mark Parrish, Jeff Halpern, Yan Stastny and Brian Gionta also scored for the United States, which finished third in last year’s tournament. Mike Modano, the Dallas Stars’ standout who hasn’t played much this season during the lockout, went pointless.

In the early game in Vienna, the Czech Republic scored three power-play goals and beat Switzerland 3-1. Jaromir Jagr had one of the goals for the Czechs.

In late games, Sweden, the 2003 and 2004 runner-up, beat Ukraine 3-2 in Innsbruck, while Kazakhstan downed Germany 2-1 in Vienna.

Cycling

Armstrong teammate injured

Former Olympic champion Viatcheslav Ekimov, a member of Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France cycling team, was injured during a training ride in Dripping Springs, Texas, near Austin.

The Russian will be off his bike for a few weeks and team doctors will reevaluate his condition then, said Mark Higgins, a spokesman for Capital Sports Entertainment, which represents Armstrong.

“It is premature to comment on his status for the Tour de France,” Higgins said.

“Colombian cyclist Santiago Botero won the Tour de Romandie at Lausanne, Switzerland, rallying past Italy’s Damiano Cunego with a victory in the final time trial.

Botero completed the 12.7-mile stage through Lausanne in 26 minutes, 29 seconds, beating Australia’s Bradley McGee by 25 seconds.

With a final time of 15 hours, 58 minutes, 2 seconds, Botero finished the five-day tour 33 seconds ahead of Cunego. Russia’s Denis Menchov was another 45 seconds behind in third.

Tennis

Henin-Hardenne wins J&S Cup

Justine Henin-Hardenne won her second clay-court title in two weeks, defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the J&S Cup final at Warsaw, Poland.

The Belgian extended her winning streak to 11 matches in a final in which both players preferred to rally from the baseline and rarely ventured to the net.

“It was a great battle at the end of the match,” Henin-Hardenne said. “In the third set we saw a good match, a good fight. Now I have a couple of matches on clay, and that gives me a lot of confidence before the French Open.”

Henin-Hardenne, who was unseeded, was playing her third tournament of the year. She was sidelined by a virus and injury following her fourth-round defeat at the U.S. Open.

This was Henin-Hardenne’s 21st title, increasing her career prize money to more than $8 million with her winner’s check of $93,000.

“Gaston Gaudio captured the Estoril Open at Oeiras, Portugal, beating Spanish wild card Tommy Robredo 6-1, 2-6, 6-1 for his third clay-court title this season.

Qualifier Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic took the women’s title in the first final of her career with a 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3 victory over fourth-seeded Na Li of China. It was the first time a qualifier won the tournament.

College basketball

Bonnies’ women’s coach on leave

St. Bonaventure women’s basketball coach Jim Crowley and assistant Scott Young were placed on administrative leave following a complaint by a university employee.

The school would not elaborate on the complaint, but said the coaches will be on leave until an investigation is completed. School officials met with the team to explain the situation.

In five years as coach, Crowley has a 44-96 record, including 9-19 last season. Young is a five-year assistant.

Auto racing

Scelzi races to Funny Car victory

Gary Scelzi raced to his first Funny Car victory of the season and 30th overall, beating Jeff Arend in the final of the O’Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway.

Doug Kalitta earned his 21st career Top Fuel victory and Warren Johnson raced to his 94th Pro Stock career victory and second of the season.