1962 Ice Hockey World Championships
Tournament details
Host country United States
Dates8–18 March
Teams8
Final positions
Champions  Sweden (3rd title)
Runner-up  Canada
Third place  United States
Fourth place Finland
Tournament statistics
Games played28
Goals scored310 (11.07 per game)
Attendance70,702 (2,525 per game)
Scoring leader(s)Sweden Nisse Nilsson 18 points
← 1961
1963 →

The 1962 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 29th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Colorado Springs and Denver, United States from March 8 to March 18, 1962. This was the first World Championship hosted in North America that was not part of ice hockey at the Olympic Games.[1] It also remains the only IIHF World Championship (not also part of the Olympics) ever held in the United States.

The World Championships were in jeopardy of being cancelled to the political situation in Europe and the Berlin Wall. Sweden won their third World, and their ninth European title. Canada, represented by the Galt Terriers, lost only to the Swedes finishing second, followed by the host Americans. In the 'B' pool the Australian team defeated Denmark for their first victory ever.[1]

Political issues

The World Championships were scheduled to be hosted in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but the event was placed in jeopardy due to the political situation in Europe. When the Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961 by East Germany to prevent its citizens from fleeing to the West, NATO responded with travel restrictions which prevented the East Germany national ice hockey team from attending the World Championships.[2] Canadian Amateur Hockey Association president Jack Roxburgh felt that politics should not affect sports, and the decision went against the goodwill and relations established by teams traveling behind the Iron Curtain. He called for the International Ice Hockey Federation to unite in opposition to the NATO decision.[3] Teams from the Soviet Union and other communist countries ultimately chose to withdraw in protest of the NATO decision.[4]

Qualifying round (A/B)

With the absences of the USSR, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany, the top two nations from the 1961 'B' pool were elevated (Norway and Great Britain). The third and final spot was filled by a qualifying game between the only remaining 'B' pool nations.

07 MarchSwitzerland 9-4 Austria

Switzerland qualified in Group A

Austria qualified in Group B

World Championship Group A (United States)

Final round

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Sweden 7 7 0 0 67 10 +57 14
2  Canada 7 6 0 1 58 12 +46 12
3  United States 7 5 0 2 54 23 +31 10
4  Finland 7 3 0 4 32 42 −10 6
5  Norway 7 3 0 4 32 54 −22 6
6  West Germany 7 2 0 5 27 36 −9 4
7   Switzerland 7 1 0 6 21 60 −39 2
8  Great Britain 7 1 0 6 19 73 −54 2
Source:[citation needed]
08 MarchGreat Britain 3-6  Switzerland
08 MarchUnited States 14-2 Norway
08 MarchFinland 1-8 Canada
09 MarchFinland 5-7 Great Britain
09 MarchSweden 17-2  Switzerland
09 MarchWest Germany 4-6 Norway
10 MarchUnited States 1-2 Sweden
10 MarchCanada 8-0 West Germany
11 MarchCanada 7-2  Switzerland
11 MarchGreat Britain 2-12 Norway
11 MarchUnited States 6-3 Finland
12 MarchNorway 7-5  Switzerland
12 MarchGreat Britain 0-9 West Germany
12 MarchSweden 12-2 Finland
13 MarchCanada 3-5 Sweden
13 MarchUnited States 8-4 West Germany
14 MarchFinland 7-4  Switzerland
14 MarchUnited States 12-5 Great Britain
14 MarchCanada 14-1 Norway
15 MarchWest Germany 3-9 Finland
15 MarchSweden 17-0 Great Britain
16 MarchSweden 10-2 Norway
16 MarchUnited States 12-1  Switzerland
17 MarchFinland 5-2 Norway
17 MarchGreat Britain 2-12 Canada
17 MarchSweden 4-0 West Germany
18 MarchUnited States 1-6 Canada
18 MarchWest Germany 7-1  Switzerland

World Championship Group B (United States)

Final round

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
9  Japan 5 5 0 0 63 16 +47 10
10  Austria 5 4 0 1 49 9 +40 8
11  France 5 3 0 2 35 25 +10 6
12  Netherlands 5 2 0 3 20 46 −26 4
13  Australia 5 1 0 4 13 51 −38 2
14  Denmark 5 0 0 5 9 42 −33 0
Source:[citation needed]
08 MarchAustralia 4-6 Netherlands
09 MarchJapan 10-8 France
10 MarchAustralia 0-17 Austria
10 MarchNetherlands 9-4 Denmark
11 MarchFrance 7-2 Denmark
12 MarchAustralia 2-13 Japan
13 MarchFrance 13-1 Australia
13 MarchNetherlands 1-12 Austria
14 MarchJapan 7-3 Austria
15 MarchFrance 6-2 Netherlands
15 MarchDenmark 2-6 Australia
16 MarchNetherlands 2-20 Japan
16 MarchFrance 1-10 Austria
17 MarchJapan 13-1 Denmark
18 MarchDenmark 0-7 Austria

Ranking and statistics


 1962 IIHF World Championship winners 

Sweden
3rd title

Tournament Awards[edit]

Final standings

The final standings of the tournament according to IIHF:

1st place, gold medalist(s)  Sweden
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  Canada
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  United States
4  Finland
5  Norway
6  West Germany
7   Switzerland
8  Great Britain

European championships final standings

The final standings of the European championships according to IIHF:

 Sweden
 Finland
 Norway
4  West Germany
5   Switzerland
6  Great Britain

Notes

  1. ^ a b Summary and explanations (in french)
  2. ^ Dicther, Heather L. (May 28, 2018). "Hockey Research at the 2018 North American Society for Sport History (NASSH) Conference – Canadian Speculation: Back-Up Host for the 1962 IIHF World Championships or NATO Ally?". Hockey in Society. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  3. ^ "Politics, Sports Said Mixed". Medicine Hat News. Medicine Hat, Alberta. February 3, 1962. p. 5.Free access icon
  4. ^ "Championnats du monde 1962". Hockey Archives (in French). Retrieved October 12, 2019.

References

Categories