Japan loses pre-Olympic match to Italy

February 1, 1998

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From the Olympics Toword Tomorrow

Japan loses pre-Olympic match to Italy

The Japanese men's hockey team lost a pre-Olympic match to Italy on Sunday in the opening game of a six- nation competition being played at Makomanai ice arena as a warm-up for the qualifying round of the Nagano Olympic hockey tournament.

Mario Chitarroni opened the scoring for Italy after seven minutes and 37 seconds after the start of the first period. The Italians went up by two goals when Roland Romoser beat Dusty Imoo at six minutes and 36 seconds of the second period.

The Japanese team got on the scoring board late in the second period when Ryan Fujita converted a pass from Toshiyuki Sakai beating Italian goalkeeper Mario Brunetta.

The Italians closed out the scoring with an empty net goal with under one minute left in the game.

Slovakia and France are scheduled later to play Sunday evening in another warm-up game in Tomakomai, Hokkaido.

(Kyodo News)

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