(CNN) -- In a major upset, Evan Lysacek of the United States edged out defending gold medalist Russian Evgeni Plushenko to win the men's figure skating gold medal.
It was the first time since the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary -- where Brian Boitano won for the United States -- that any nation other than Russia has won the men's gold medal in the event.
In a first for Japan on the men's podium, Daisuke Takahashi of Japan took the bronze.
Lysacek, who placed fourth at the Turin Games in 2006, won after the free skate program with a total score of 257.67, which bettered Plushenko's score of 256.36.
Takahashi's score of 247.23 came just a little more than half a point better than fourth place finisher Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland.
Gallery: Winter Olympics Day Seven
Lysacek's triumph brought to six the number of golds and 18 the number of total medals the United States has, the most of any nation so far.
Earlier, Lindsey Vonn crashed out in the slalom section, opening the door for Maria Riesch of Germany to take the gold medal in the super-combined at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
The poster girl of the Winter Games led after the downhill section of the two-discipline event, but chasing down Riesch's combined target time of two minutes 10.08 seconds came unstuck halfway down her slalom run at Whistler Creekside.
Vonn's teammate Julia Mancuso added to her silver in the downhill behind Vonn 24 hours previously with another second-placed finish, but over a second behind Riesch.
Sweden's Anja Paerson, who suffered a crashing fall in the downhill on Wednesday, was rewarded for her brave decision to compete with a bronze medal after a fine slalom run.
Vonn's downhill time of one minute 24.16 seconds left her 0.33 seconds clear of her great friend Riesch, with Mancuso of the United States in third place, and she seemingly had a second gold in two days firmly in her grasp.
But the 25-year-old from Minnesota admitted after the downhill section that the shin injury which troubled her in the build-up to the Games was a problem and may present difficulties as she bids for gold in three other disciplines.
"It's not good. It's really hurting and I'm just struggling with it," Vonn said.
"But there's nothing really I can do. I just have to try to do therapy and try to tough it out today and then tomorrow will be a good day off."
Riesch, who was a disappointing eighth on her Olympic debut in the downhill, looked much more assured in her second event and was always set to be the major challenger to Vonn as she has been throughout the World Cup season.
Hosts Canada gained their third gold of the Games as Christine Nesbitt powered to victory in the women's 1,000 speed skating event at the Richmond Oval.
Nesbitt had just 0.02 seconds in hand over Annette Gerritsen of the Netherlands with another Dutch skater Laurine Van Riessen taking bronze.
In other early action on day seven, Norway's Tora Berger upset the favorites to claim her country's 100th gold in the Winter Olympics with victory in the women's 15k individual biathlon.
Berger missed just one shot to beat Kazakhstan's Elena Khrustaleva by 20.7 seconds.
And the 101st gold was not long coming in the later men's 20km individual event as Emile Hegle Svendsen claimed victory ahead of legendary compatriot Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, who was winning his 10th Olympic medal, including five golds.
Bjoerndalen tied for silver with Belarus competitor Sergey Novikov, 9.5 seconds behind Svendsen.
In women's snowboarding, the half-pipe crown went to Torah Bright of Australia ahead of American pair Hanna Teter and Kelly Clark after a thrilling competition which set new standards.
