KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia — Ted Ligety won the giant slalom at the Sochi Games with a dominating performance Wednesday, becoming the first American man to win two Olympic gold medals in Alpine skiing.

Leading after the first run, Ligety sped down the Rosa Khutor course in a two-leg combined time of 2 minutes, 45.29 seconds.

Steve Missillier of France stood only 10th after the first run but had the fastest second leg to finish second, 0.48 behind. Alexis Pinturault, another Frenchman and one of Ligety’s chief rivals over the past few seasons, was third, 0.64 behind.

Overall World Cup leader Marcel Hirscher of Austria finished fourth, 0.94 back, but will be the favorite for Saturday’s slalom.

Ligety’s first gold came in combined at the 2006 Turin Games as a 21-year-old — before he had ever won a World Cup race.

The only other American to win two Olympic golds in Alpine skiing was Andrea Mead Lawrence, who took both the women’s slalom and giant slalom at the 1952 Oslo Games.

CC Team Sprint

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia — Finland surprisingly won the men’s cross-country team sprint at the Sochi Olympics on Wednesday, taking advantage of a fall that slowed its two closest rivals in the final.

Sami Jauhojaervi was able to pull ahead after Germany’s Tim Tscharnke fell right behind him after the final downhill section into the stadium and nearly tripped up Russia’s Nikita Kriukov, who stayed on his legs but lost touch with the Finn.

Kriukov couldn’t catch up and Russia had to settle for silver. Sweden’s Teodor Peterson overtook Tscharnke to secure the bronze.

Snowboarding

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia — Vic Wild and wife Alena Zavarzina have some new jewelry to go with their wedding rings: Olympic medals.

Wild rolled to victory in men’s snowboarding parallel giant slalom on Wednesday, ripping past Nevin Galmarini in the second run of the finals to win gold for his adopted country of Russia. Zan Kosir of Slovenia took the bronze.

Wild’s triumph came just minutes after his wife raced to bronze in the women’s event.

Patrizia Kummer gave Switzerland its sixth gold medal in Sochi when Japan’s Tomoka Takeuchi lost an edge halfway through the second run of the women’s final.

Ice Hockey

SOCHI, Russia — With Henrik Lundqvist in net, Sweden never seems to be short-handed.

Lundqvist made 19 saves for his second shutout of the Sochi Games and Carl Hagelin scored twice, helping the Swedes rout upstart Slovenia 5-0 Wednesday to advance into Olympic hockey semifinals without three of their best players.

The New York Rangers star, who also blanked Switzerland in the preliminary round, won the 2012 Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender. Lundqvist lifted the Swedes to gold at the Turin Games eight years ago without a shutout and believes he is better now.

in the net and crease.”

On Friday, the 2006 Olympic champions will face the winner of the Russia-Finland game for a spot in the gold-medal game.

Curling

SOCHI, Russia — Canada and Sweden will play off for the gold medal in women’s Olympic curling after winning semifinal games that went to the final shot on Wednesday.

The Canadians stole a point in the second end and never surrendered their grip in a 6-4 win over world champion Britain.

Sweden, the two-time defending champion, beat Switzerland 7-5 after Swiss skip Mirjam Ott was heavy with a draw shot on her last rock.