By The Associated Press

Day 8 of the Turin Olympics

Friday, Feb. 17

STARS

Andrus Veerpalu defended his 15-kilometer classical title from Salt Lake City to give Estonia — yes, Estonia — its third gold medal of the games. Countrywoman Kristina Smigun has won two, also in cross-country skiing.

Canada finished 1-2 in skeleton with Duff Gibson winning gold and Jeff Pain taking silver.

FALTERING FAVORITES

The U.S. women's hockey team lost to Sweden 3-2 in a shootout in the Olympic semifinals. Canada and the United States had never lost to anybody except each other at the World Cup or Olympics. ... Lindsey Jacobellis of the United States grabbed her board on a jump just before the finish line, then fell to turn what should have been a runaway victory into a silver medal in snowboardcross. Switzerland's Tanja Frieden caught up and won.

TABLE TOP

So which country is having the most successful Olympics? Depends how you define success. Norway has the most medals with 13, but only one of them is gold. Germany, Russia and Canada have won 11 medals. The United States has 10 and the most golds with six.

POSTPONED

The Alpine combined will have to be finished Saturday after the downhill portion was postponed because of wind. Marlies Schild of Austria leads after the slalom legs. Defending champion Janica Kostelic said she might be too sick to start the downhill, and Lindsey Kildow is out after enduring another painful fall.

TURIN TALK

"She definitely styled that a little too hard." — U.S. snowboarding coach Peter Foley after Jacobellis' fall.