1955 Ice Hockey World Championships
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country |  West Germany |
| Dates | 25 February–6 March |
| Teams | 9 |
| Final positions | |
Champions  |  Canada (16th title) |
Runner-up  |  Soviet Union |
Third place  |  Czechoslovakia |
| Fourth place |  United States |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 36 |
| Goals scored | 319 (8.86 per match) |
| Attendance | 153,300 (4,258 per match) |
| Scoring leader(s) | Vlastimil Bubnik (17 goals) |
← 1954 1956 → | |
The 1955 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 22nd edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Krefeld and Cologne, West Germany from February 25 to March 6, 1955. A total of 14 nations participated in this World Championship, which was a new record for the postwar era. As a result, the teams were seeded with the strongest 9 teams placed in Pool A (the championship pool) and the remaining 5 nations as well as the West German B team placed in Pool B.
Canada, represented by the Penticton Vees of the Okanagan Senior League won their 16th international title. For the second straight year both the Soviets and Canadians were undefeated until they played each other in the final game of the tournament. This time Canada won 5–0 giving the Soviets the silver medal, and their second European Championship. Czechoslovakia won the bronze by dominating the weaker teams, drawing the Americans, and narrowly defeating the Swedes.
Despite the victory, the Canadian Press reported sentiments from Canadian players and spectators that "Canada should never again take part in the tournament under its present setup",[1] and Canadian Amateur Hockey Association president W. B. George was concerned that the game in Europe took on political and religious meanings in which Canada did not want to become involved.[2]
World Championship Group A (West Germany)[]
Final Round[]
| 25 February | Czechoslovakia | 7–0 |  Switzerland | Cologne |
| 25 February | Canada | 12–1 | United States | Dortmund |
| 25 February | Soviet Union | 10–2 |  Finland | Düsseldorf |
| 25 February | West Germany | 4–5 |  Sweden | Krefeld |
| 26 February | United States | 8–1 | Finland | Cologne |
| 26 February | Soviet Union | 2–1 | Sweden | Dortmund |
| 26 February | Canada | 5–3 | Czechoslovakia | Düsseldorf |
| 26 February | West Germany | 4–5 |  Poland | Krefeld |
| 27 February | Canada | 8–0 | Poland | Cologne |
| 27 February | West Germany | 3–6 | United States | Dortmund |
| 27 February | Sweden | 10–0 | Switzerland | Düsseldorf |
| 27 February | Soviet Union | 4–0 | Czechoslovakia | Krefeld |
| 28 February | Soviet Union | 8–2 | Poland | Cologne |
| 28 February | Canada | 12–0 | Finland | Düsseldorf |
| 28 February | United States | 7–3 | Switzerland | Krefeld |
| 1 March | Czechoslovakia | 6–5 | Sweden | Cologne |
| 1 March | Poland | 2–4 | Switzerland | Düsseldorf |
| 1 March | West Germany | 7–1 | Finland | Krefeld |
| 2 March | Canada | 11–1 | Switzerland | Cologne |
| 2 March | Sweden | 9–0 | Finland | Düsseldorf |
| 2 March | West Germany | 0–8 | Czechoslovakia | Düsseldorf |
| 2 March | Soviet Union | 3–0 | United States | Krefeld |
| 3 March | Poland | 6–3 | Finland | Cologne |
| 3 March | Canada | 3–0 | Sweden | Krefeld |
| 3 March | West Germany | 1–5 | Soviet Union | Düsseldorf |
| 3 March | Czechoslovakia | 4–4 | United States | Cologne |
| 4 March | West Germany | 1–10 | Canada | Cologne |
| 4 March | United States | 6–2 | Poland | Düsseldorf |
| 4 March | Soviet Union | 7–2 | Switzerland | Krefeld |
| 5 March | Finland | 7–2 | Switzerland | Cologne |
| 5 March | Sweden | 1–1 | United States | Düsseldorf |
| 5 March | Czechoslovakia | 17–2 | Poland | Krefeld |
| 6 March | West Germany | 8–3 | Switzerland | Düsseldorf |
| 6 March | Sweden | 9–0 | Poland | Cologne |
| 6 March | Czechoslovakia | 18–2 | Finland | Düsseldorf |
| 6 March | Canada | 5–0 | Soviet Union | Krefeld |
Standings[]
| Rank | Team | GP | W | T | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada |
8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 6 | 16 |
| 2 | Soviet Union |
8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 13 | 14 |
| 3 | Czechoslovakia |
8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 63 | 22 | 11 |
| 4 | United States |
8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 33 | 29 | 10 |
| 5 | Sweden |
8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 40 | 16 | 9 |
| 6 | West Germany |
8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 28 | 43 | 4 |
| 7 | Poland |
8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 19 | 59 | 4 |
| 8 | Switzerland |
8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 59 | 2 |
| 9 | Finland |
8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 16 | 72 | 2 |
Tournament awards[]
- Best players selected by the directorate:
- Best Goaltender:
Don Rigazio - Best Defenceman:
Karel Gut - Best Forward:
Bill Warwick
- Best Goaltender:
World Championship Group B (West Germany)[]
Final Round[]
| 25 February | Austria  | 3–2 |  Yugoslavia | Dortmund |
| 25 February | West Germany B | 2–2 |  Italy | Düsseldorf |
| 27 February | Netherlands  | 6–3 |  Belgium | Dortmund |
| 27 February | West Germany B | 3–2 | Austria | Köln |
| 28 February | Yugoslavia | 5–2 | Belgium | Krefeld |
| 28 February | Italy | 3–1 | Austria | Düsseldorf |
| 2 March | Austria | 5–3 | Belgium | Krefeld |
| 2 March | Italy | 10–2 | Netherlands | Dortmund |
| 2 March | West Germany B | 5–1 | Yugoslavia | Düsseldorf |
| 4 March | Italy | 9–1 | Yugoslavia | Cologne |
| 4 March | West Germany B | 11–1 | Netherlands | Köln |
| 5 March | Austria | 6–1 | Netherlands | Krefeld |
| 5 March | West Germany B | 11–1 | Belgium | Düsseldorf |
| 6 March | Italy | 28–0 | Belgium | Krefeld |
| 6 March | Netherlands | 9–1 | Yugoslavia | Krefeld |
Standings[]
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | T | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Italy |
5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 6 | 9 |
| NC | West Germany B |
5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 5 | 9 |
| 11 | Austria |
5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 12 | 6 |
| 12 | Netherlands |
5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 31 | 4 |
| 13 | Yugoslavia |
5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 28 | 2 |
| 14 | Belgium |
5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 55 | 0 |
Note:West Germany B games were unofficial.
European Championship medal table[]
 |
Soviet Union
|
 |
Czechoslovakia
|
 |
Sweden
|
| 4 | West Germany
|
| 5 | Poland
|
| 6 | Switzerland
|
| 7 | Finland
|
Citations[]
- ^ MacKenzie, Arch (Mar 8, 1955). "Vees Now Relax, "Rewind" After Keyed-Up Contest". St. John's Daily News. St. John's, Newfoundland. p. 11.
- ^ "Canada May Not Enter 1956 Tourney". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. April 20, 1955. p. 23.
References[]
- Szemberg, Szymon; Podnieks, Andrew, eds. (2007), World of Hockey: Celebrating a Century of the IIHF, Bolton, Ontario: Fenn Publishing, ISBN 978-1-55168-307-2
- Complete results
- Duplacey, James (1998). Total Hockey: The official encyclopedia of the National Hockey League. Total Sports. pp. 498–528. ISBN 0-8362-7114-9.
- Podnieks, Andrew (2010). IIHF Media Guide & Record Book 2011. Moydart Press. pp. 134–5.
- IIHF Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
- 1955 in ice hockey
- International ice hockey competitions hosted by West Germany
- 1954–55 in West German ice hockey
- February 1955 sports events
- March 1955 sports events
- Sports competitions in Düsseldorf
- Sports competitions in Cologne
- 20th century in Düsseldorf
- 20th century in Cologne
- 20th century in Dortmund
- 1950s in North Rhine-Westphalia
- Sports competitions in Dortmund
- Sport in Krefeld