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MINSK, Belarus -- Defending champion Sweden blanked the Czech Republic 3-0 Sunday to earn the bronze at the ice hockey world championship. Joakim Lindstrom scored early and Simon Hjalmarsson netted another one in the opening period for Sweden to take control. Mikael Backlund rounded off the win with a wrist shot past goaltender Alexander Salak in the third. "We came here to win the gold," Lindstrom said. "That was our goal. But the competition is very, very hard, and all in all it was a pretty good tournament for us." Sweden had to settle for the third-place game after a 3-1 loss to Russia in the semifinals. The Czechs outshot Sweden 29-24 but failed to score for the second straight match after Finland blanked them 3-0 in Saturdays semis. Goaltender Anders Nilsson saved all 24 shots for the shutout. "Hes been phenomenal, not just tonight, but the whole tournament," Lindstrom said. "From game one, hes been our backbone on this hockey team." The Czechs -- the 2010 champions -- struggled in the preliminary round, recording three losses before recovering to eliminate the United States in the quarterfinals. Veteran forward Jaromir Jagr said after the game it was his last with the national team -- although he will continue playing for his New Jersey Devils next season. "Its not that I would think Im not good enough for it," Jagr said. "But this is a different hockey than I play. My hockey doesnt fit this style." The announcement came a year before the Czech Republic hosts the next worlds. Russia faces Finland in the final later Sunday. Luis Madero Jersey . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Nick Adenhart Angels Jersey .com) - Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James will sit out Thursdays game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with left knee soreness. https://www.cheapangels.com/1213j-darin-erstad-jersey-angels.html . Five straight losses (and six in the past seven) now dot the schedule – matching their longest skid of the year – after they fell again in New Jersey on Sunday night, topped 3-2 by Cory Schneider and the Devils. Justin Anderson Angels Jersey . James Jones got his turn Sunday. And the lift he brought, combined with the expected playoff showings from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, have the Heat off and running in these playoffs. Tommy La Stella Jersey . Scheffler told The Associated Press on Wednesday he made the choice because he had three concussions over the past four years.UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- John Tavares scored two first-period goals, leading the New York Islanders to a 6-4 preseason victory against the Nashville Predators on Friday night. Named team captain this month and entering his fifth NHL season, the 23-year-old Tavares beat goaltender Pekka Rinne with a tip-in 1:25 intto the game, and then scored off a scramble in front six minutes later.dddddddddddd Lubomir Visnovsky, Colin McDonald, Matt Donovan and Josh Bailey also scored for the Islanders. Matt Moulson had three assists. Craig Smith had two goals for Nashville. Simon Moser and Roman Josi also scored. ' ' '