HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — Sami Lepisto’s goal at 3:59 of overtime led Finland to a 3-2 victory over the United States on Wednesday night in the world hockey quarterfinals.

Lepisto took a pass from Saku Koivu at the point and fired the puck through a crowd and underneath U.S. goalie Robert Esche for the win. Finland advanced to play Russia in the semifinals Friday at Quebec City.

“It’s hard to lose like this, especially the way we played the third period,” U.S. coach John Tortorella said. “We lost a tied faceoff. Really, we won it, but we didn’t come up with the loose puck and it ends up going in the net.”

Tuomo Ruutu and Anssi Salmela also scored for Finland, which held a 2-0 lead with less than 5 minutes remaining in regulation.

The Americans rallied with goals by Phil Kessel and Drew Stafford 37 seconds apart to force overtime. The loss marked the seventh time in the last nine years the U.S. team failed to advance past the quarterfinals.

PRO FOOTBALL

Another arrest in Taylor case

MIAMI — Prosecutors charged a fifth person in the slaying of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor.

Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office spokesman Ed Griffith said 16-year-old Timothy Brown is charged with first-degree murder. He is also charged with armed burglary of an occupied dwelling.

Meanwhile, one of five suspects charged in the slaying has pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree murder and burglary.

Defense attorney Michael Hornung says that according to the plea agreement, Venjah Hunte will serve 29 years in prison and cooperate with prosecutors.

Hornung says Hunte pleaded guilty on Friday but prosecutors requested the plea agreement be sealed because investigators were pursuing Brown.

Taylor died of massive blood loss after he was shot at his Miami-area home during a botched robbery in November. The 24-year-old safety had made the Pro Bowl in 2006 and 2007.

TRACK & FIELD

Collins reinstated

American sprinter Michelle Collins was reinstated Wednesday by track and field’s governing body, the IAAF, after serving three-plus years of a BALCO-related suspension.

Her ban for using performance-enhancing drugs was to expire in July, but it was reduced because Collins cooperated with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and federal investigators. The 37-year-old Collins is eligible to try to qualify for the U.S. Olympic trials, which start next month.

“All I want to do now is return to the sport I love,” Collins said in a statement released by the Valparaiso Sports Law Clinic, which represented her. “I look forward to competing again.”

Collins, a 2000 Olympian, was a disciple of track coach Trevor Graham, who also worked with Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery and Justin Gatlin.

Collins was stripped of her 2003 world indoor and U.S. championships at 200 meters after an arbitration panel found she used banned substances provided by the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative. She never tested positive, but the panel concluded she used the drugs for several years.

She later admitted using the substances.

Originally suspended for eight years, Collins appealed and wound up with a four-year ban through July 17, 2008.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Perrilloux picks new school

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Quarterback Ryan Perrilloux, kicked off LSU’s national championship team after repeated off-the-field problems, signed with Jacksonville State.

Perrilloux will be able to transfer and start immediately for the Gamecocks. The MVP of last season’s Southeastern Conference title game won’t have to sit out a year because Jacksonville State plays in the lower Football Championship Subdivision.

BASEBALL

Keppinger out up to six weeks

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Reds shortstop Jeff Keppinger will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a broken left kneecap.

Keppinger, batting .324, fouled a pitch off his knee during a 5-3 win over Florida on Tuesday night.

Pirates lose Doumit to injury

ST. LOUIS — Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit will be sidelined at least a month after breaking his left thumb on a passed ball during Tuesday’s game.

Doumit was placed on the 15-day disabled list after an examination in Pittsburgh, confirmed the break.

Cubs pick up Edmonds

CHICAGO — Jim Edmonds wasn’t out of work long. The Chicago Cubs agreed to a contract with the 37-year-old outfielder on Wednesday, five days after he was released by the San Diego Padres.

“Hopefully Jimmy still has something left and it was just a bad start,” general manager Jim Hendry said.

Reed Johnson has played well in center and Hendry said Edmonds have to earn playing time in a platoon setup.

To make room for Edmonds, the Cubs optioned outfielder Felix Pie to Triple-A Iowa.

Edmonds flew to Chicago on Wednesday and then passed a physical and will be in uniform today when the Cubs wrap up a four-game series with the team that let him go, the Padres.

An eight-time Gold Glove winner and four-time All-Star, the 37-year-old Edmonds strained his right calf in a spring training game on March 6 and started the season on the disabled list. He was activated on April 5 and batted .178 in 26 games with one homer and six RBIs — well below his .286 career average.