LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Evan Lysacek dominated the short program at Skate America on Friday night. The world champion put out a powerful routine to Igor Stravinski's "Firebird" that built strength by the second.

It worked superbly for the two-time U.S. champion, who vastly improved on his work at Cup of China two weeks ago. Lysacek scored 79.17 points to outdistance France's Florent Amodio by 6 1/2 points. St. Louisan Brandon Mroz was third.

The men's free skate is tonight.

Earlier, China's Zhao Hongbo and Shen Xue won the pairs short program, and Americans Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto took the dance compulsories.

Zhao and Shen Xue performed their best short program, quite an achievement for two-time Olympic bronze medalists (2002 and '06) who are back for one more shot at the games — and, he says, "the gold medal."

They earned 74.36 points, more than two points better than when they won Cup of China to begin their comeback after two years on the sidelines.

Their performance featured a huge twist lift, synchronized side-by-side triple toe loops, a high lift punctuated by an intricate dismount, and a death spiral in which she holds onto her left blade while being twisted around.

They even wowed American champions Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, who were fourth after botching their side-by-side jumps.

"It's an honor to be on the ice with them," Brubaker said, admitting he has some of Shen and Zhao's programs on his iPod. "You know when you see something great out on the ice."

Ukraine's Tatiana Volosozahar and Stanislav Morozov were second, 12.66 points behind. Canada's Meagan Duhamel and Craig Buntin were third. Current world silver medalists Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao of China, who finished second at the Turin Olympics, were a disappointing fifth after some sloppy spins and footwork.

The pairs finish this afternoon.

Belbin and Agosto, silver medalists at the world championships and 2006 Turin Olympics, scored 39.28 points for the golden waltz. They were well ahead of Russia's Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski at 36.94. The original dance is today and the free dance Sunday.

Belbin and Agosto are on pace to qualify for next month's Grand Prix Final in Tokyo. Another U.S. team, Meryl Davis and Charlie White, already is in the final, underlining the strength the Americans at last have in the discipline.