2008 IIHF World Championship

Infobox International Ice Hockey Competition
tourney_name =
year = 2008
other_titles =

---

size = 150px
caption = Official logo
country = Canada
dates = May 2 – May 18
num_teams = 16
venues = 2
cities = 2
winners = Russia
count = 2/24If the 22 World Championship won by the Soviet Union are included, this total comes to 24.]
games = 54
goals = 357
attendance = 477040
scoring_leader = flagicon|CAN Dany Heatley (20 pts)
mvp = flagicon|CAN Dany Heatley
updated = May 18 2008The 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 4th cenntennial year celebrations of Quebec City's 400th anniversary.

The tournament 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. [ [http://www.iihf.com/news/iihfpr9706.htm Vancouver 2010 Olympic Men's Ice Hockey format announced] ]

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." [ [http://live82.ihwc.net/english/article/news/index.ihwc?&artId=2646 IIHF announces NHL-European Victoria Cup] ]

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 200 ft × 98.5 ft (roughly 61 m × 30 m).

Participating teams

;Group A
*ih|Belarus "(roster)"
*ih|France "(roster)"
*ih|Sweden "(roster)"
*ih|Switzerland "(roster)";Group B
*ih|Canada "(roster)"
*ih|Latvia "(roster)"
*ih|Slovenia "(roster)"
*ih|United States "(roster)";Group C
*ih|Finland "(roster)"
*ih|Germany "(roster)"
*ih|Norway "(roster)"
*ih|Slovakia "(roster)";Group D
*ih|Czech Republic "(roster)"
*ih|Denmark "(roster)"
*ih|Italy "(roster)"
*ih|Russia "(roster)"

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 goal 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. [http://www.iihf.com/channels/iihf-world-championship/home/format-rules.html IIHF Format & Rules] ]

Preliminary Round

Sixteen participating teams were placed in the following four groups. [ [http://www.ihwc.net/english/article/news/index.ihwc?&artId=2690 IIHF announces awards, '08 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.

All times are local (UTC-3).Hockeybox2
bg = #eeeeee
date = May 2, 2008
time = 16:30
team1 = ih-rt|CAN
score = 5 – 1
periods = ( 1–0, 3–1, 1–0 )
team2 = ih|SVN
goals1 = D. Hamhuis 03:45
D. Heatley 20:41
M. St. Louis (PP1) 30:18
D. Heatley (PP1) 35:07
D. Heatley 50:25
goals2 = 32:19 (PP2) A. Kopitar
stadium = Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia
attendance = 7,921
referee = Vyacheslav Bulanov flagicon|RUS
referee2 = Alexander Poliakov flagicon|RUS
summary = http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/132/IHM132B02_74_5_0.pdfHockeybox2
bg = #eeffff
date = May 2, 2008
time = 20:15
team1 = ih-rt|USA
score = 4 – 0
periods = ( 1–0, 1–0, 2–0 )
team2 = ih|LAT
goals1 = D. Brown (PP1) 07:21
P. Kane (PP1) 28:44
Z. Parise (PP1) 47:09
P. O'Sullivan (PP1) 51:05
goals2 =
stadium = Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia
attendance = 7,360
referee = Milan Minář flagicon|CZE
referee2 = Richard Schütz flagicon|GER
summary = http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/132/IHM132B04_74_3_0.pdfHockeybox2
bg = #eeeeee
date = May 4, 2008
time = 16:30
team1 = ih-rt|LAT
score = 0 – 7
periods = ( 0–3, 0–4, 0–0 )
team2 = ih|CAN
goals1 =
goals2 = 02:35 P. Sharp
03:45 M. Green
12:15 D. Heatley
21:03 (PP1) R. Nash
22:00 M. St. Louis
22:42 C. Kunitz
32:20 R. Nash
stadium = Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia
attendance = 7,831
referee = Danny Kurmann flagicon|SUI
referee2 = Christer Larking flagicon|SWE
summary = http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/132/IHM132B10_74_4_0.pdfHockeybox2
bg = #eeffff
date = May 4, 2008
time = 20:15
team1 = ih-rt|USA
score = 5 – 1
periods = ( 1–0, 2–1, 2–0 )
team2 = ih|SVN
goals1 = P. Kane (PP1) 11:12
P. Kessel (PP1) 26:48
P. Kessel (PP1) 32:41
D. Booth 45:05
P. Kessel 49:24
goals2 = 36:36 A. Kopitar
stadium = Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia
attendance = 7,056
referee = Brent Reiber flagicon|SUI
referee2 = Marcus Vinnerborg flagicon|SWE
summary = http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/132/IHM132B12_74_3_0.pdfHockeybox2
bg = #eeeeee
date = May 6, 2008
time = 16:30
team1 = ih-rt|CAN
score = 5 – 4
periods = ( 2–0, 1–2, 2–2 )
team2 = ih|USA
goals1 = B. Burns 08:26
D. Heatley 19:49
J. Toews 20:18
D. Roy 43:29
D. Heatley 59:13
goals2 = 20:52 Z. Parise
23:09 P. O'Sullivan
45:18 (PP1) D. Brown
46:54 (PP1) J. Pominville
stadium = Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia
attendance = 9,192
referee = Vyacheslav Bulanov flagicon|RUS
referee2 = Christer Larking flagicon|SWE
summary = http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/132/IHM132B18_74_3_0.pdfHockeybox2
bg = #eeffff
date = May 6, 2008
time = 20:15
team1 = ih-rt|SVN
score = 0 – 3
periods = ( 0–0, 0–2, 0–1 )
team2 = ih|LAT
goals1 =
goals2 = 30:15 (PS) A. Ņiživijs
31:24 (PP1) A. Širokovs
59:32 (ENG) A. Širokovs
stadium = Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia
attendance = 7,806
referee = Alexander Poliakov flagicon|RUS
referee2 = Richard Schütz flagicon|GER
summary = http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/132/IHM132B20_74_2_0.pdf

Group C

Group E

Final standings

The final standings of the tournament according to IIHF:"TOI = Time On Ice (minutes:seconds); SA = Shots Against; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; Sv% = Save Percentage; SO = Shutouts"

IIHF Broadcasting rights

*Austria: ORF Sport Plus
*Belarus: TV-First, LAD
*Canada:
** "English": TSN
** "French": RDS
*Czech Republic: Česká televize
*Denmark: TV2 Sport
*Finland: YLE
*France: Sport+
*Germany: DSF
*Hungary: Sport 1, Sport 2
*Iceland: RÚV
*"Internet: [http://video.iihfworlds2008.com/pubb_EN/popup.php Webcast at IIHF.com] "
*Italy: Rai Sport Satellite
*Latvia: TV3 Latvia, TV6 Latvia
*Norway:
** "Norwegian Matches": NRK
** "Other Matches": SportN
*Poland: Polsat
*Romania: Sport 1, Sport 2
*Russia: VGTRK Sport
*Slovakia: STV
*Slovenia: RTV Slovenija
*Sweden: Viasat
*Switzerland:
** "German": SF zwei
** "French": TSR 2
** "Italian": TSI 2
*USA: World Championship Sports Network

References

External links

*
* [http://www.iihf.com/channels/iihf-world-championship/home.html IIHF.com]

See also

*2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
*2008 IIHF World Championship Division I
*2008 IIHF World Championship Division II
*2008 IIHF World Championship Division III
*2008 IIHF World Championship Division III Qualification