Stars' Guerin rarin' to go for Team USA
09:01 PM CST on Friday, February 17, 2006
TURIN, Italy – Forward Bill Guerin says he feels better now than he has all season. That's good news for Team USA and for the Stars. His recent emergence from a long goal slump continued here Thursday night with a quick score that sent the Americans to their first victory of the tournament, 4-1 over Kazakhstan. Counting his play with Dallas, he has four goals in his last six games. "I guess the harder you work, the luckier you get," said Guerin, who has 11 goals and 32 points this NHL season. "Even though I wasn't getting goals, my play has gotten better." Guerin is playing on the fourth line for the U.S. and hasn't figured in power plays or penalty killing. "It's been a little bit more limited, but I do just whatever's asked of you," he said. Turco fine with reserve role: Stars goalie Marty Turco has yet to even suit up for top-seeded Canada, as was the case in 2005 with the squad that finished second in the world championships. No problem, he says. "I just have to pretty much be ready in case something happens," he said. "I don't feel bad at all, not one bit." Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo have split the first two games, and Brodeur figures to get most or all of the time during elimination play. He took Canada through to a gold medal in 2002. Turco has sat in the stands with his family. In Friday's practice, Turco tried out a set of contact lenses designed for baseball players to cut glare in trying to locate the white ball. The contacts made his irises appear ringed in red. "They're not really conducive to stopping black pucks," he said. "But it builds up my mystique a little bit." U.S. coach mum on goalie decision: Like many of the coaches, U.S. coach Peter Laviolette will no longer publicize his starting goalies. He went with John Grahame in the opening 3-3 tie with Latvia and Rick DiPietro against Kazakhstan. He said he has a good idea who will start today against Slovakia (2-0-0). Laviolette said he informs the starter of his status at various times – the day before a game, the night before or even the morning of. "When I'm sure," he said. "When I know, they know." E-mail jmiller@dallasnews.com 1 p.m. today, Esposizioni, TV: Ch. 5 Player to watch: Keith Tkachuk is tied with linemate Brian Gionta with a team-high nine shots but has yet to score. It might be time. Key stat: One – the number of practices the Americans have had since arriving in Turin. That was Tuesday night, hours after most of the players had arrived a day late. They have since skipped game-day skates and only took training treatments on Friday's off-day in favor of catching up on rest. Notable: Chris Drury, Mike Modano and Craig Conroy are the top three players in the Olympic field in face-off percentage, Drury at 78.57 percent and the others at 72.73. ... While the line of Tkachuk, Scott Gomez and Gionta has two goals and two assists, it's a collective minus-5. Player to watch: A family to watch – the Hossas. Marian Hossa of Atlanta is a three-time NHL All-Star, the 12th overall pick in the 1997 draft. Brother Marcel, also a forward, plays for the New York Rangers. Their father, Frantisek, has been the national team coach since 2002. Key stat: Slovakia is first in scoring efficiency at 18.03 percent, with 11 goals on 61 shots. Notable: Eighteen members play in the NHL. ... The Slovaks finished fifth at last year's world championships. ... Forward Peter Bondra of Atlanta is one of four NHL players to score four goals in one period. Jeff Miller 