1991 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships

1991 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships

The main venue of the 1991 World Ice Hockey Championships; Turkuhalli.
Tournament details
Host country  Finland
Dates 19 April – 4 May
Teams 8
Venue(s) 3 (in 3 host cities)
Final positions
Champions   Sweden (5th title)
Runner-up   Canada
Third place   Soviet Union
Fourth place  United States
Tournament statistics
Matches played 40
Goals scored 272 (6.8 per match)
Attendance 310,627 (7,766 per match)
Scoring leader(s) Sweden Mats Sundin 14 points
← 1990
1992 →

The 1991 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Finland 19 April - 4 May. The games were played in Turku, Helsinki and Tampere. The main venue was Turkuhalli. Eight teams took part, with each team playing each other once. The four best teams then played each other once more. This was the 55th World Championships, and at the same time was the 66th and last Ice Hockey European Championships. Sweden became world champions for the fifth time, and the Soviet Union won their 27th European title. In the European Championships, only matches between European teams in the first round were counted towards scoring.

There were three significant 'lasts' in this year's championships. This would be the last year that a separate European title would be awarded. It seems fitting that the Soviets captured it yet again, in their final appearance as a united nation. Their position in Group A would be inherited by Russia, with Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine all beginning play in 1993 in qualification tournaments for Group C. The tournament itself would change significantly after this year as well. This was the last time the top level was contested by eight teams. Beginning in 1992 it would expand to twelve, requiring both Groups B and C to promote four nations each.

The final round was a very tight battle, except for the Americans. Finding their way there ahead of a disappointing Czech team, and by narrowing defeating the host Finns, the USA fell out of contention, and then were involved in a controversial finish. The Canadians, having tied both the Swedes and the Soviets needed to win, and hope, in their final game. If they won by five and the Swedes tied the Soviets, they would capture gold. Winning 7-4 in the final minute, and playing short-handed, they miraculously got the two goals they needed. American coach Tim Taylor pulled his goalie in the final minute, later claiming that he was trying to score the necessary number of goals to win the bronze medal. It was the last of many questionable finishes over the years that hastened the IIHF to change the format of the tournament.

The USSR and Sweden took a 1-1 tie into the third period of the last game, which would have given the gold medal to Canada had it held up. However, Mats Sundin scored at 9:37, and the Swedes held on to capture gold.[1][2]

World Championship Group A (Finland)

First Round

Team Games Won Drawn Lost Points difference Points
1  Soviet Union 7 6 1 0 41 - 16 13
2  Sweden 7 3 4 0 30 - 21 10
3  Canada 7 4 1 2 24 - 20 9
4  United States 7 3 2 2 23 - 28 8
5  Finland 7 3 1 3 22 - 15 7
6  Czechoslovakia 7 3 0 4 19 - 19 6
7   Switzerland 7 1 0 6 13 - 26 2
8  Germany 7 0 1 6 13 - 40 1
19 April Finland  2-0
  Czechoslovakia
19 April Canada  4-3
  United States
19 April Soviet Union  3-1
   Switzerland
19 April Sweden  8-1
  Germany
20 April Canada  3-0
   Switzerland
20 April Finland  4-4
  Sweden
20 April Germany  3-7
  Soviet Union
20 April United States  4-1
  Czechoslovakia
22 April Canada  3-2
  Germany
22 April Finland  0-3
  Soviet Union
22 April Czechoslovakia  4-1
   Switzerland
22 April Sweden  4-4
  United States
23 April Germany  1-7
  Czechoslovakia
23 April Finland  3-5
  Canada
23 April Sweden  4-3
   Switzerland
23 April United States  2-12
  Soviet Union
25 April Sweden  2-1
  Czechoslovakia
25 April Switzerland   2-4
  United States
25 April Soviet Union  5-3
  Canada
25 April Finland  6-0
  Germany
26 April Canada  3-3
  Sweden
26 April Germany  4-4
  United States
26 April Czechoslovakia  2-6
  Soviet Union
26 April Finland  6-1
   Switzerland
28 April Finland  1-2
  United States
28 April Switzerland   5-2
  Germany
28 April Soviet Union  5-5
  Sweden
28 April Czechoslovakia  4-3
  Canada

Final Round

Team Games Won Drawn Lost Points difference Points
1  Sweden 3 2 1 0 13 - 08 5
2  Canada 3 1 2 0 15 - 10 4
3  Soviet Union 3 1 1 1 10 - 09 3
4  United States 3 0 0 3 12 - 23 0
30 April Soviet Union  6-4
  United States
30 April Sweden  3-3
  Canada
2 May United States  4-8
  Sweden
2 May Canada  3-3
  Soviet Union
4 May United States  4-9
  Canada
4 May Sweden  2-1
  Soviet Union

Consolation Round

Team Games Won Drawn Lost Points difference Points
5  Finland 10 6 1 3 35 - 21 13
6  Czechoslovakia 10 4 0 6 28 - 27 8
7   Switzerland 10 2 1 7 22 - 38 5
8  Germany 10 0 2 8 19 - 51 2

No team was relegated because of the expansion to twelve teams.

29 April Germany  2-4
  Finland
29 April Switzerland   4-3
  Czechoslovakia
1 May Czechoslovakia  4-1
  Germany
1 May Finland  6-2
   Switzerland
3 May Finland  3-2
  Czechoslovakia
3 May Germany  3-3
   Switzerland

World Championship Group B (Yugoslavia)

Played in Ljubljana 28 March to 7 April. With the expansion of Group A impending, promotion was available to the top four finishers. As well, the top three qualified directly for the Olympics, with fourth place needing to defeat the winner of Group C.[1][3]

Team Games Won Drawn Lost Points difference Points
9  Italy 7 7 0 0 49 - 11 14
10  Norway 7 5 0 2 26 - 13 10
11  France 7 5 0 2 28 - 18 10
12  Poland 7 4 0 3 24 - 15 8
13  Austria 7 3 1 3 21 - 18 7
14  Yugoslavia 7 2 0 5 18 - 36 4
15  Netherlands 7 1 0 6 09 - 40 2
16  Japan 7 0 1 6 10 - 34 1

Italy, Norway, France, and Poland all were promoted to Group A, no one was relegated.

28 March Austria  2-2
  Japan
28 March France  4-2
  Poland
28 March Italy  13-0
  Netherlands
28 March Norway  5-1
  Yugoslavia
29 March Poland  2-1
  Austria
29 March Netherlands  0-4
  Norway
29 March France  4-2
  Yugoslavia
29 March Japan  2-7
  Italy
31 March France  9-1
  Netherlands
31 March Italy  2-1
  Poland
31 March Austria  6-1
  Yugoslavia
31 March Norway  6-1
  Japan
1 April Austria  6-4
  Netherlands
1 April Italy  13-3
  Yugoslavia
2 April Japan  3-5
  France
2 April Poland  2-4
  Norway
3 April Italy  5-1
  Austria
3 April Yugoslavia  3-6
  Poland
4 April Japan  1-2
  Netherlands
4 April France  2-3
  Norway
5 April Yugoslavia  5-1
  Japan
5 April France  1-5
  Italy
6 April Netherlands  1-4
  Poland
6 April Austria  3-1
  Norway
7 April Norway  3-4
  Italy
7 April Yugoslavia  3-1
  Netherlands
7 April Poland  7-0
  Japan
7 April Austria  2-3
  France

World Championship Group C (Denmark)

Played in Brøndby 23 March to 3 April. With the expansion of Group A, four openings in Group B were available. In addition, the winner got to play off for the last Olympic spot against the fourth place Group B finisher.[1]

Team Games Won Drawn Lost Points difference Points
17  Denmark 8 7 1 0 71 - 13 15
18  China 8 6 1 1 44 - 24 13
19  Romania 8 6 0 2 51 - 22 12
20  Bulgaria 8 4 1 3 35 - 26 9
21  Great Britain 8 4 1 3 45 - 25 9
22  Hungary 8 3 1 4 37 - 32 7
23  North Korea 8 2 1 5 29 - 35 5
24  South Korea 8 1 0 7 19 - 64 2
25  Belgium 8 0 0 8 11 - 101 0

Denmark, China, Romania and Bulgaria were all promoted. With no Group D in existence at this time, there was no relegation.

23 March Hungary  11-1
  Belgium
23 March Denmark  15-1
  South Korea
23 March China  6-5
  Great Britain
24 March Romania  14-0
  Belgium
24 March Great Britain  7-2
  North Korea
24 March Bulgaria  3-4
  China
25 March South Korea  4-9
  Hungary
25 March Romania  7-2
  North Korea
25 March Denmark  7-3
  Bulgaria
26 March South Korea  7-2
  Belgium
26 March Hungary  3-4
  China
26 March Denmark  3-2
  Great Britain
27 March Bulgaria  1-3
  Romania
27 March Belgium  0-11
  Great Britain
27 March North Korea  2-3
  China
28 March Denmark  11-1
  North Korea
28 March Bulgaria  4-3
  Hungary
28 March Romania  11-3
  South Korea
29 March Denmark  17-1
  Belgium
29 March China  9-1
  South Korea
29 March Hungary  3-3
  Great Britain
30 March Belgium  0-12
  North Korea
30 March Great Britain  4-5
  Bulgaria
30 March Romania  3-1
  China
31 March Denmark  8-2
  Romania
31 March South Korea  2-4
  Bulgaria
31 March North Korea  2-6
  Hungary
1 April Denmark  8-1
  Hungary
1 April Great Britain  7-1
  South Korea
1 April Belgium  5-15
  China
2 April Romania  5-6
  Great Britain
2 April North Korea  1-1
  Bulgaria
3 April Romania  6-1
  Hungary
3 April Belgium  2-14
  Bulgaria
3 April South Korea  0-7
  North Korea
3 April Denmark  2-2
  China

Ranking and statistics

 


 1991 IIHF World Championship Winners 

Sweden
5th title

Tournament Awards

Final standings

The final standings of the tournament according to IIHF:

 Sweden
 Canada
 Soviet Union
4  United States
5  Finland
6  Czechoslovakia
7   Switzerland
8  Germany

European championships final standings

The final standings of the European championships according to IIHF:

 Soviet Union
 Sweden
 Finland
4  Czechoslovakia
5   Switzerland
6  Germany

Scoring leaders

List shows the top skaters sorted by points, then goals.

Player GP G A Pts +/− PIM POS
Sweden Mats Sundin 10 7 5 12 +2 12 F
Finland Jari Kurri 10 6 6 12 +1 2 F
Soviet Union Valeri Kamensky 10 6 5 11 +8 10 F
Canada Joe Sakic 10 6 5 11 +6 0 F
Finland Teemu Selänne 10 6 5 11 +8 2 F
United States Jeremy Roenick 9 5 6 11 +4 8 F
Finland Mika Nieminen 10 5 6 11 +3 2 F
Soviet Union Pavel Bure 10 3 8 11 +5 2 F
Finland Christian Ruuttu 10 7 3 10 +3 10 F
United States Danton Cole 10 6 4 10 +1 14 F
Sweden Thomas Rundqvist 10 6 4 10 +2 4 F

Source:

Leading goaltenders

Only the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage, who have played 50% of their team's minutes are included in this list.

Player MIP GA GAA SVS% SO
Finland Markus Ketterer 420 12 1.71 .939 2
Canada Sean Burke 479 21 2.63 .923 0
Switzerland Renato Tosio 420 27 3.86 .895 0
Czechoslovakia Petr Bříza 480 23 2.88 .893 0
Sweden Rolf Ridderwall 479 21 2.63 .892 0

Source:

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 Summary at Passionhockey.com
  2. ↑ video of Sundin's goal
  3. ↑ Olympic Qualifier

References

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