1991 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships

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1991 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships
Turkuhalli.jpg
The main venue of the 1991 World Ice Hockey Championships; Turkuhalli.
Tournament details
Host country Finland
Dates19 April – 4 May
Teams8
Venue(s)3 (in 3 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Gold medal blank.svg Sweden (5th title)
Runner-up Silver medal blank.svg Canada
Third place Bronze medal blank.svg Soviet Union
Fourth place United States
Tournament statistics
Matches played40
Goals scored272 (6.8 per match)
Attendance310,627 (7,766 per match)
Scoring leader(s)Sweden Mats Sundin 14 points
← 1990
1992 →

The 1991 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships was the 55th such event sanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), and at the same time served as the 66th and last Ice Hockey European Championships. Teams representing 25 countries participated in several levels of competition. The competition also served as qualifications for group placements in the 1992 competition.

The top Championship Group A tournament took place in Finland from 19 April to 4 May 1991, with games played in Turku, Helsinki and Tampere. Eight teams took part, with each team playing each other once. The four best teams then played each other once more. 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, which the Soviets captured in their last appearance before the dissolution of the Soviet Union seven months later. Their position in Group A would be inherited by Russia, while newly independent former Soviet member states Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine began 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 of four teams was a very tight battle, except for the United States. Getting only a tie against the last place Germans, the Americans only advanced to the final round by narrowly defeating the host Finns. The USA were easily defeated by the three other teams in the final round, but were involved in a controversial finish. The Canadians, having tied both the Swedes and the Soviets, needed to win their game against the US by five goals, then hope that the Swedes and Soviets tied, ensuring Canada the gold. Winning 7–4 in the final minute, and despite playing short-handed, they scored the two goals they needed. American coach Tim Taylor, trailing 9–4, 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 Soviets and Swedes 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 AprilFinland 2–0 Czechoslovakia
19 AprilCanada 4–3 United States
19 AprilSoviet Union 3–1  Switzerland
19 AprilSweden 8–1 Germany
20 AprilCanada 3–0  Switzerland
20 AprilFinland 4–4 Sweden
20 AprilGermany 3–7 Soviet Union
20 AprilUnited States 4–1 Czechoslovakia
22 AprilCanada 3–2 Germany
22 AprilFinland 0–3 Soviet Union
22 AprilCzechoslovakia 4–1  Switzerland
22 AprilSweden 4–4 United States
23 AprilGermany 1–7 Czechoslovakia
23 AprilFinland 3–5 Canada
23 AprilSweden 4–3  Switzerland
23 AprilUnited States 2–12 Soviet Union
25 AprilSweden 2–1 Czechoslovakia
25 AprilSwitzerland  2–4 United States
25 AprilSoviet Union 5–3 Canada
25 AprilFinland 6–0 Germany
26 AprilCanada 3–3 Sweden
26 AprilGermany 4–4 United States
26 AprilCzechoslovakia 2–6 Soviet Union
26 AprilFinland 6–1  Switzerland
28 AprilFinland 1–2 United States
28 AprilSwitzerland  5–2 Germany
28 AprilSoviet Union 5–5 Sweden
28 AprilCzechoslovakia 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 AprilSoviet Union 6–4 United States
30 AprilSweden 3–3 Canada
2 MayUnited States 4–8 Sweden
2 MayCanada 3–3 Soviet Union
4 MayUnited States 4–9 Canada
4 MaySweden 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 AprilGermany 2–4 Finland
29 AprilSwitzerland  4–3 Czechoslovakia
1 MayCzechoslovakia 4–1 Germany
1 MayFinland 6–2  Switzerland
3 MayFinland 3–2 Czechoslovakia
3 MayGermany 3–3  Switzerland

World Championship Group B (Yugoslavia)[]

Played in Ljubljana, Bled and Jesenice 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 MarchAustria 2–2 Japan
28 MarchFrance 4–2 Poland
28 MarchItaly 13–0 Netherlands
28 MarchNorway 5–1 Yugoslavia
29 MarchPoland 2–1 Austria
29 MarchNetherlands 0–4 Norway
29 MarchFrance 4–2 Yugoslavia
29 MarchJapan 2–7 Italy
31 MarchFrance 9–1 Netherlands
31 MarchItaly 2–1 Poland
31 MarchAustria 6–1 Yugoslavia
31 MarchNorway 6–1 Japan
1 AprilAustria 6–4 Netherlands
1 AprilItaly 13–3 Yugoslavia
2 AprilJapan 3–5 France
2 AprilPoland 2–4 Norway
3 AprilItaly 5–1 Austria
3 AprilYugoslavia 3–6 Poland
4 AprilJapan 1–2 Netherlands
4 AprilFrance 2–3 Norway
5 AprilYugoslavia 5–1 Japan
5 AprilFrance 1–5 Italy
6 AprilNetherlands 1–4 Poland
6 AprilAustria 3–1 Norway
7 AprilNorway 3–4 Italy
7 AprilYugoslavia 3–1 Netherlands
7 AprilPoland 7–0 Japan
7 AprilAustria 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 MarchHungary 11–1 Belgium
23 MarchDenmark 15–1 South Korea
23 MarchChina 6–5 Great Britain
24 MarchRomania 14–0 Belgium
24 MarchGreat Britain 7–2 North Korea
24 MarchBulgaria 3–4 China
25 MarchSouth Korea 4–9 Hungary
25 MarchRomania 7–2 North Korea
25 MarchDenmark 7–3 Bulgaria
26 MarchSouth Korea 7–2 Belgium
26 MarchHungary 3–4 China
26 MarchDenmark 3–2 Great Britain
27 MarchBulgaria 1–3 Romania
27 MarchBelgium 0–11 Great Britain
27 MarchNorth Korea 2–3 China
28 MarchDenmark 11–1 North Korea
28 MarchBulgaria 4–3 Hungary
28 MarchRomania 11–3 South Korea
29 MarchDenmark 17–1 Belgium
29 MarchChina 9–1 South Korea
29 MarchHungary 3–3 Great Britain
30 MarchBelgium 0–12 North Korea
30 MarchGreat Britain 4–5 Bulgaria
30 MarchRomania 3–1 China
31 MarchDenmark 8–2 Romania
31 MarchSouth Korea 2–4 Bulgaria
31 MarchNorth Korea 2–6 Hungary
1 AprilDenmark 8–1 Hungary
1 AprilGreat Britain 7–1 South Korea
1 AprilBelgium 5–15 China
2 AprilRomania 5–6 Great Britain
2 AprilNorth Korea 1–1 Bulgaria
3 AprilRomania 6–1 Hungary
3 AprilBelgium 2–14 Bulgaria
3 AprilSouth Korea 0–7 North Korea
3 AprilDenmark 2–2 China

Ranking and statistics[]

 


 1991 IIHF World Championship Winners 

Sweden
5th title

Tournament Awards[]

  • Best players selected by the directorate:
    • Best Goaltender: Finland Markus Ketterer
    • Best Defenceman: Canada Jamie Macoun
    • Best Forward: Soviet Union Valeri Kamensky
  • Media All-Star Team:
    • Goaltender: Canada Sean Burke
    • Defence: Soviet Union Viacheslav Fetisov, Soviet Union Alexei Kasatonov
    • Forwards: Soviet Union Valeri Kamensky, Finland Jari Kurri, Sweden Thomas Rundqvist

Final standings[]

The final standings of the tournament according to IIHF:

Gold medal icon.svg  Sweden
Silver medal icon.svg  Canada
Bronze medal icon.svg  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:

Gold medal icon.svg  Soviet Union
Silver medal icon.svg  Sweden
Bronze medal icon.svg  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: [1]

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: [2]

Citations[]

  1. ^ a b c Summary at Passionhockey.com
  2. ^ video of Sundin's goal
  3. ^ Olympic Qualifier

References[]

  • 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. 154–5.
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