2008 IIHF World Championship

2008 IIHF World Championship
Tournament details
Host nation	Canada
Dates	May 2 – May 18
Teams	16
Venue(s)	2 (in 2 host cities)
Champions	Russia (2 titles)
Tournament statistics
Games played	54
Goals scored	357  (6.61 per game)
Attendance	477,040  (8,834 per game)
Scoring leader(s)	Dany Heatley
MVP	Dany Heatley
Infobox last updated on: May 18, 2008.

A 2008 Russian stamp commemorating the championship team

The 2008 IIHF World Championship was played between May 2 and May 18, 2008 in the Canadian cities of Halifax (Nova Scotia) and Quebec City (Quebec). The two venues were the Halifax Metro Centre and the Colisée Pepsi. The tournament was won by Russia which claimed its first gold medals since 1993.

It was the 72nd IIHF World Championship event, and was run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It was the first time the final tournament is held in a non-European country since 1962, when it was held in Colorado, USA. The IIHF wanted to celebrate the federation's 100th anniversary by holding the tournament in the country where ice hockey was born. The tournament was also included as part of the celebrations of Quebec City's 400th anniversary.

The tournament featured many countries' elite stars, as it served as the last and most important stage in selecting nine automatic qualifiers for the men's hockey competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a process that uses the IIHF World Ranking standings after the tournament.

On May 8, 2007, the IIHF announced it "will also formalize the Triple Gold Club by awarding commemorative medals to the 19 players who have won the three most prestigious championships in world hockey: Olympic gold, Stanley Cup, and World Championship gold. The ceremony will take place in Canada during the 2008 World Championship."

There were two changes in the format compared to earlier years. Because of the distance between Halifax and Quebec City, the quarter-finals were played within the group, instead of crossing over which has happened since 2000. The relegation round was different too, as it consisted of two best-of-three series instead of a round robin series between four teams.

For the first time in 40 years, the matches were played on smaller, NHL size rinks, 200 ft × 85 ft (roughly 61 m × 26 m), compared to the IIHF standard which is roughly 200 ft × 98.5 ft (61 m × 30 m).

Rules

For standing purposes, points shall be awarded as follows:

• 3 points for a win in regulation time
• 2 points for a win in overtime or in shootout
• 1 point for a loss in overtime or in shootout
• No points for a loss in regulation time

If a game is tied after regulation time, a five-minute four-on-four sudden-death overtime session is played followed by a three-player shootout if necessary. Exceptions: Quarter finals, Semi final and Bronze Medal overtime session are 10 minutes and Gold Medal game overtime session is 20 minutes.

If teams are tied in a standing based on points, the following tie-breakers are applied: 1) The most points earned in direct games involving tied teams. 2) The best goal differential in direct games involving tied teams. 3) The most goals scored in direct games involving tied teams. 4) Follow steps 1, 2 and 3 with games involving the highest non-tied team in the same group. 5) Repeat step 4 with games involving the second highest non-tied team in the same group. 6) Continue this process with all non-tied team games.

This was also the first major IIHF championship that used the four-official system with two referees and two linesmen instead of standard three-official system with only one referee.

Preliminary round

Sixteen participating teams were placed in the following four groups. After playing a round-robin, the top three teams in each group advanced to the Qualifying Round while the last team competed in the relegation round.

	Team advanced to the Qualifying Round
	Team sent to compete in the Relegation Round

Group A

Team	GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	DIF	PTS
Switzerland	3	3	0	0	0	10	4	6	9
Sweden	3	2	0	0	1	17	9	8	6
Belarus	3	1	0	0	2	9	9	0	3
France	3	0	0	0	3	2	16	−14	0

All times are local (UTC-4).

May 3, 2008 13:00

Belarus

5–6 ( 1–2, 3–2, 1–2 )

Sweden

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 9,204

Game reference

May 3, 2008 19:00

Switzerland

4–1 ( 2–0, 1–1, 1–0 )

France

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 9,367

Game reference

May 5, 2008 13:00

Switzerland

2–1 ( 1–0, 1–1, 0–0 )

Belarus

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 8,016

Game reference

May 5, 2008 19:00

Sweden

9–0 ( 0–0, 4–0, 5–0 )

France

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 8,845

Game reference

May 7, 2008 13:00

Sweden

2–4 ( 1–2, 0–0, 1–2 )

Switzerland

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 7,939

Game reference

May 7, 2008 19:00

France

1–3 ( 1–1, 0–1, 0–1 )

Belarus

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 8,880

Game reference

Group B

Team	GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	DIF	PTS
Canada	3	3	0	0	0	17	5	12	9
United States	3	2	0	0	1	13	6	7	6
Latvia	3	1	0	0	2	3	11	−8	3
Slovenia	3	0	0	0	3	2	13	−11	0

All times are local (UTC-3).

May 2, 2008 16:30

Canada

5–1 ( 1–0, 3–1, 1–0 )

Slovenia

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,921

Game reference

May 2, 2008 20:15

United States

4–0 ( 1–0, 1–0, 2–0 )

Latvia

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,360

Game reference

May 4, 2008 16:30

Latvia

0–7 ( 0–3, 0–4, 0–0 )

Canada

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,831

Game reference

May 4, 2008 20:15

United States

5–1 ( 1–0, 2–1, 2–0 )

Slovenia

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,056

Game reference

May 6, 2008 16:30

Canada

5–4 ( 2–0, 1–2, 2–2 )

United States

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 9,192

Game reference

May 6, 2008 20:15

Slovenia

0–3 ( 0–0, 0–2, 0–1 )

Latvia

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,806

Game reference

Group C

Team	GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	DIF	PTS
Finland	3	2	1	0	0	11	5	6	8
Norway	3	1	0	1	1	6	10	−4	4
Germany	3	1	0	0	2	7	10	−3	3
Slovakia	3	1	0	0	2	9	8	1	3

All times are local (UTC-3).

May 3, 2008 16:30

Germany

1–5 ( 0–0, 1–2, 0–3 )

Finland

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,658

Game reference

May 3, 2008 20:15

Slovakia

5–1 ( 1–0, 2–1, 2–0 )

Norway

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,096

Game reference

May 5, 2008 16:30

Finland

3 – 2 OT ( 2–2, 0–0, 0–0 ) ( OT: 1–0 )

Norway

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,190

Game reference

May 5, 2008 20:15

Slovakia

2–4 ( 0–2, 1–1, 1–1 )

Germany

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,855

Game reference

May 7, 2008 16:30

Finland

3–2 ( 2–2, 1–0, 0–0 )

Slovakia

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,262

Game reference

May 7, 2008 20:15

Norway

3–2 ( 0–1, 1–1, 2–0 )

Germany

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,414

Game reference

Group D

Team	GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	DIF	PTS
Russia	3	2	1	0	0	16	6	10	8
Czech Republic	3	2	0	1	0	16	9	7	7
Denmark	3	1	0	0	2	9	11	−2	3
Italy	3	0	0	0	3	5	20	−15	0

All times are local (UTC-4).

May 2, 2008 13:00

Denmark

2–5 ( 2–2, 0–2, 0–1 )

Czech Republic

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 8,369

Game reference

May 2, 2008 19:00

Russia

7–1 ( 1–0, 5–0, 1–1 )

Italy

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 11,074

Game reference

May 4, 2008 13:00

Czech Republic

4 – 5 OT ( 2–2, 1–1, 1–1 ) (OT: 0–1 )

Russia

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 13,109

Game reference

May 4, 2008 19:00

Italy

2–6 ( 0–3, 1–1, 1–2 )

Denmark

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 6,838

Game reference

May 6, 2008 13:00

Russia

4–1 ( 1–0, 2–0, 1–1 )

Denmark

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 8,609

Game reference

May 6, 2008 19:00

Czech Republic

7–2 ( 2–2, 4–0, 1–0 )

Italy

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 7,517

Game reference

Qualifying round

The top three teams in the standings of each group of the Preliminary Round advance to the Qualifying Round, and are placed in two groups: teams from Groups A and D compete in Group E, while teams from Groups B and C compete in Group F.

Each team is to play three games in this round, one against each of the three teams from the other group with which they have been paired. These three games, along with the two games already played against the other two advancing teams from the same group in the Preliminary Round, will count in the Qualifying Round standings.

The top four teams in both groups E and F to advance in Quarter-Finals.

Team advanced to the Playoff Round

Group E

Rk	Team	GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	DIF	PTS
1	Russia	5	3	2	0	0	21	13	8	13
2	Czech Republic	5	2	1	1	1	20	14	6	9
3	Sweden	5	3	0	0	2	23	16	7	9
4	Switzerland	5	3	0	0	2	16	15	1	9
5	Belarus	5	0	0	3	2	13	18	−5	3
6	Denmark	5	0	1	0	4	9	26	−17	2

All times are local (UTC-4).

May 8, 2008 15:00

Sweden

8–1 ( 2–0, 2–0, 4–1 )

Denmark

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 7,327

Game reference

May 8, 2008 19:00

Switzerland

0–5 ( 0–1, 0–3, 0–1 )

Czech Republic

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 9,603

Game reference

May 9, 2008 13:00

Russia

4 – 3 SO ( 0–2, 1–0, 2–1 ) ( OT: 0–0 ) ( SO: 2–1 )

Belarus

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 8,031

Game reference

May 10, 2008 12:30

Czech Republic

3 – 2 SO ( 0–1, 1–0, 1–1 ) (OT: 0–0 ) ( SO: 2–1 )

Belarus

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 8,504

Game reference

May 10, 2008 16:30

Russia

3–2 ( 0–1, 1–1, 2–0 )

Sweden

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 12,665

Game reference

May 11, 2008 13:00

Denmark

2–7 ( 0–2, 0–3, 2–2 )

Switzerland

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 8,338

Game reference

May 11, 2008 19:00

Sweden

5–3 ( 0–0, 2–2, 3–1 )

Czech Republic

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 7,864

Game reference

May 12, 2008 13:00

Switzerland

3–5 ( 0–3, 0–1, 3–1 )

Russia

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 8,286

Game reference

May 12, 2008 19:00

Belarus

2 – 3 OT ( 0–0, 0–1, 2–1 ) ( OT: 0–1 )

Denmark

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 8,517

Game reference

Group F

Rk	Team	GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	DIF	PTS
1	Canada	5	5	0	0	0	30	9	21	15
2	Finland	5	3	1	0	1	16	12	4	11
3	United States	5	3	0	0	2	25	13	12	9
4	Norway	5	1	0	1	3	8	20	−12	4
5	Germany	5	1	0	0	4	13	27	−14	3
6	Latvia	5	1	0	0	4	8	19	−11	3

All times are local (UTC-3).

May 8, 2008 16:30

Canada

2–1 ( 1–0, 0–1, 1–0 )

Norway

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,380

Game reference

May 8, 2008 20:15

United States

6–4 ( 3–2, 1–1, 2–1 )

Germany

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,352

Game reference

May 9, 2008 12:30

Finland

2–1 ( 0–1, 1–0, 1–0 )

Latvia

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 7,215

Game reference

May 10, 2008 16:30

Germany

1–10 ( 0–4, 0–5, 1–1 )

Canada

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 9,182

Game reference

May 11, 2008 12:30

Norway

1–4 ( 1–2, 0–1, 0–1 )

Latvia

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 9,017

Game reference

May 11, 2008 16:30

Finland

3–2 ( 0–0, 0–2, 3–0 )

United States

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 8,867

Game reference

May 12, 2008 12:30

United States

9–1 ( 3–0, 3–1, 3–0 )

Norway

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 8,490

Game reference

May 12, 2008 16:30

Canada

6–3 ( 2–1, 2–0, 2–2 )

Finland

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 9,178

Game reference

May 12, 2008 20:15

Latvia

3–5 ( 1–1, 2–1, 0–3 )

Germany

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 8,614

Game reference

Relegation Round

Teams finishing last in all four Preliminary Round groups competed in the Relegation Round in order to determine which two nations would be relegated to the IIHF World Championship Division I. The four teams were paired in two best-of-three series.

France defeated Italy, while Slovakia defeated Slovenia, both in 2 games, and secured themselves a place among the top sixteen hockey nations in the world. Italy and Slovenia were relegated to Division I for the 2009 tournament, and will be replaced by Austria and Hungary, the winners of the 2008 Division I tournament.

Group G

Series G1

All times are local (UTC-4).

May 9, 2008 19:00

France

3–2 ( 1–1, 1–0, 1–1 )

Italy

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 8,140

Game reference

May 10, 2008 20:15

Italy

4–6 ( 1–2, 1–1, 2–3 )

France

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 7,649

Game reference

France won series 2 – 0

Series G2

All times are local (UTC-3).

May 9, 2008 16:30

Slovenia

1–5 ( 0–1, 1–4, 0–0 )

Slovakia

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 8,473

Game reference

May 10, 2008 20:15

Slovakia

4 – 3 SO ( 1–0, 2–2, 0–1 ) ( OT: 0–0 ) ( SO: 2–1 )

Slovenia

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 9,156

Game reference

Slovakia won series 2 – 0

Playoff Round

Quarter-finals

All times are local (Quebec: UTC-4, Halifax: UTC-3).

May 14, 2008 13:00

Czech Republic

2 – 3 OT ( 0–0, 1–1, 1–1 ) ( OT: 0–1 )

Sweden

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 9,787

Game reference

May 14, 2008 16:30

Norway

2–8 ( 1–2, 1–3, 0–3 )

Canada

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 9,192

Game reference

May 14, 2008 19:15

Russia

6–0 ( 3–0, 3–0, 0–0 )

Switzerland

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 12,096

Game reference

May 14, 2008 20:15

United States

2 – 3 OT ( 0–1, 0–1, 2–0 ) ( OT: 0–1 )

Finland

Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia Attendance: 9,176

Game reference

Semi-finals

All times are local (UTC-4)

May 16, 2008 13:00

Russia

4–0 ( 1–0, 1–0, 2–0 )

Finland

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 11,159

Game reference

May 16, 2008 17:00

Canada

5–4 ( 1–1, 4–2, 0–1 )

Sweden

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 13,026

Game reference

Bronze Medal Game

All times are local (UTC-4)

May 17, 2008 15:00

Finland

4–0 ( 2–0, 0–0, 2–0 )

Sweden

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 12,009

Game reference

Gold Medal Game

All times are local (UTC-4)

May 18, 2008 13:00

Canada

4 – 5 OT ( 3–1, 1–1, 0–2 ) ( OT: 0–1 )

Russia

Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec Attendance: 13,339

Game reference

Team Photos

• 

  France

• 

  Germany

• 

  Norway

Ranking and statistics

2008 IIHF World Championship Winners  Russia 2nd/24th title Final standings The final standings of the tournament according to IIHF: Russia Canada Finland 4 Sweden 5 Czech Republic 6 United States 7 Switzerland 8 Norway 9 Belarus 10 Germany 11 Latvia 12 Denmark 13 Slovakia 14 France 15 Slovenia 16 Italy References External links 2008 Ice Hockey World Championship at Hockey Canada website IIHF.com Ice Hockey World Championships 1920 · 1924 · 1928 · 1930 · 1931 · 1932 · 1933 · 1934 · 1935 · 1936 · 1937 · 1938 · 1939 · 1947 · 1948 · 1949 · 1950 · 1951 · 1952 · 1953 · 1954 · 1955 · 1956 · 1957 · 1958 · 1959 · 1960 · 1961 · 1962 · 1963 · 1964 · 1965 · 1966 · 1967 · 1968 · 1969 · 1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1989 · 1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).