1976 Ice Hockey World Championships
Tournament details
Host country Poland
Dates8–25 April
Teams8
Final positions
Champions  Czechoslovakia (4th title)
Runner-up  Soviet Union
Third place  Sweden
Fourth place United States
Tournament statistics
Games played40
Goals scored289 (7.23 per game)
Attendance219,000 (5,475 per game)
Scoring leader(s)Czechoslovakia Vladimír Martinec 20 points
← 1975
1977 →

The 1976 Ice Hockey World Championships were the 43rd Ice Hockey World Championships and the 54th European Championships in ice hockey. The tournament took place in Poland from 8 to 25 April, and the games were played in Katowice. Eight teams took part in the main tournament, with each team first playing each other once. The four best teams then took part in a medal play off, and the teams placed 5–8 took part in a relegation play-off. The teams took the results from the first round through to the second round with them.

In response to charges of the rules regarding amateurism being unfair a change was implemented for this year.[1][2] The 1976 IHWC tournament was first to feature major league professionals from the NHL and WHA, although in the end only the United States made use of the new rule, recalling eight pros from the Minnesota North Stars and Minnesota Fighting Saints.[3][4] Some nations, such as the Soviet Union, had been using pros all along, while circumventing their status by listing them in the military.[5] The Americans promptly made the medal play off for the first time since 1962 after beating Sweden and tying Finland in the first round.

The Czechoslovakia national ice hockey team won nine games and were unbeaten, becoming world champions for the fourth time. The defending champions from the USSR finished 2nd after sensationally losing the opening game 4–6 to hosts Poland.[6] Sweden won the bronze after beating the Americans 7-3 in the medal round. In the European standings Sweden moved up one position leaving the Soviets with the bronze for the first time ever.

World Championship Group A (Poland)

First round

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Czechoslovakia 7 7 0 0 54 7 +47 14
2  Soviet Union 7 5 0 2 37 15 +22 10
3  Sweden 7 4 0 3 22 18 +4 8
4  United States 7 3 1 3 19 23 −4 7
5  Poland 7 2 1 4 21 36 −15 5
6  West Germany 7 2 0 5 19 35 −16 4
7  Finland 7 1 2 4 17 29 −12 4
8  East Germany 7 2 0 5 11 37 −26 4
Source: [citation needed]
8 AprilWest Germany 1-4
(0-1, 0-1, 1-2)		 Sweden
0–115:15 - Lars-Gunnar Lundberg
0–224:49 - Dan Labraaten
Erich Kühnhackl - 40:391–2
1–354:37 - Roland Eriksson
1–456:44 - Hans Jax
8 AprilCzechoslovakia 10-0 East Germany
8 AprilUnited States 3-3
(0-2, 2-0, 1-1)		 Finland
0–100:17 - Hannu Kapanen
0–214:13 - Timo Nummelin
Brad Morrow - 27:561–2
William Schneider - 35:392–2
Bill Klatt - 45:073–2
3–349:04 - Tapio Koskinen
8 AprilPoland 6-4
(2-0, 3-2, 1-2)		 Soviet Union
M. Jaskierski - 10:271–0
R. Nowiński - 14:332–0
2–120:39 - Boris Mikhailov
W. Jobczyk - 22:453–1
M. Jaskierski - 23:064–1
4–225:16 - Alexander Yakushev
W. Jobczyk - 26:485–2
5–353:50 - Valeri Kharlamov
W. Jobczyk - 58:576–3
6–459:09 - Boris Mikhailov
30Shots37
9 AprilPoland 0-12
(0-2, 0-2, 0-8)		 Czechoslovakia
0–117:53 – Jiří Holík
0–219:43 – Peter Šťastný
0–324:19 – Jiří Novák
0–425:44 – Jiří Holík
0–540:56 – Peter Šťastný
0–642:00 – Vladimír Martinec
0–745:36 – Jiří Novák
0–847:46 – Jiří Bubla
0–950:52 – Bohuslav Šťastný
0–1053:55 – Jiří Novák
0–1154:32 – František Černík
0–1259:47 – Ivan Hlinka
9 AprilSoviet Union 4-0
(1-0, 1-0, 2-0)		 East Germany
Viktor Zhluktov – 13:001–0
Valeri Kharlamov – 25:502–0
Boris Mikhailov – 52:503–0
Segey Kapustin – 57:294–0
10 AprilWest Germany 2-5
(1-0, 1-3, 0-2)		 Finland
Erich Kühnhackl – 11:261–0
Erich Kühnhackl – 25:442–0
2–132:56 – Timo Nummelin
2–238:06 – Jouni Peltonen
2–339:40 – Matti Murto
2–440:11 – Matti Murto
2–543:50 – Jouni Rinne
10 AprilSweden 0-2
(0-1, 0-0, 0-1)		 United States
0–118:24 – Sarner
0–247:57 – Klatt
11 AprilPoland 6-4
(3-0, 2-2, 1-2)		 East Germany
Potz – 01:181–0
Jobczyk – 04:142–0
Kokoszka – 18:253–0
Marcińczak – 21:254–0
4–124:24 – Stasche
Ziętara – 38:005–1
5–238:25 – Stasche
5–347:20 – Patschinski
5–455:40 – Slapke
Jobczyk – 56:546–4
11 AprilFinland 1-8
(0-1, 1-3, 0-4)		 Soviet Union
0–113:25 – Zhluktov
0–222:02 – Korotkov
Leppä – 33:591–2
1–334:24 – Maltsev
1–437:47 – Shalimov
1–554:14 – Lutchenko
1–656:01 – Lyapkin
1–756:53 – Zhluktov
1–859:19 – Balderis
11 AprilCzechoslovakia 3-1
(0-0, 2-0, 1-1)		 Sweden
Chalupa – 25:401–0
Nový – 34:422–0
Martinec – 50:073–0
3–154:31 – Jax
12 AprilPoland 3-5
(1-2, 1-1, 1-2)		 West Germany
Kokoszka – 03:451–0
1–108:51 – Köberle
1–214:24 – Kühnhackl
Góralczyk – 31:592–2
2–3Philipp – 35:56
2–4Kretschner – 42:50
2–5Köberle – 53:30
Góralczyk – 55:243–5
12 AprilEast Germany 2-1
(0-0, 0-0, 2-1)		 United States
Patschinski – 40:531–0
Müller – 45:352–0
2–157:56 – Klatt
13 AprilCzechoslovakia 7-1
(1-1, 4-0, 2-0)		 Finland
0–101:20 – Koskinen
Martinec – 19:531–1
Holík – 21:442–1
Nový – 28:123–1
Nový – 31:034–1
Šťastný – 35:205–1
Bubla – 43:376–1
Šťastný – 59:257–1
13 AprilSoviet Union 6-1
(2-0, 2-0, 2-1)		 Sweden
Maltsev – 03:491–0
Mikhailov – 07:252–0
Maltsev – 24:103–0
Yakushev – 24:324–0
Mikhailov – 44:015–0
Shalimov – 49:366–0
6–150:59 – Lundberg
14 AprilPoland 2-4
(0-2, 1-1, 1-1)		 United States
0–102:38 – Younghans
0–204:56 – Jensen
Jobczyk – 26:391–2
1–327:17 – Schneider
1–449:06 – Ross
Góralczyk – 51:452–4
14 AprilEast Germany 1-7 West Germany
15 AprilFinland 3-4 Sweden
15 AprilUnited States 2-10 Czechoslovakia
15 AprilWest Germany 2-8 Soviet Union
17 AprilSweden 8-2 East Germany
17 AprilPoland 3-3 Finland
17 AprilSoviet Union 2-3 Czechoslovakia
18 AprilUnited States 5-1 West Germany
18 AprilFinland 1-2 East Germany
19 AprilCzechoslovakia 9-1 West Germany
19 AprilPoland 1-4 Sweden
19 AprilSoviet Union 5-2 United States

Final Round 1–4 place

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Czechoslovakia 10 9 1 0 67 14 +53 19
2  Soviet Union 10 6 1 3 50 23 +27 13
3  Sweden 10 6 0 4 36 29 +7 12
4  United States 10 3 1 6 24 42 −18 7
Source: [citation needed]
21 AprilCzechoslovakia 5-1 United States
21 AprilSoviet Union 3-4 Sweden
23 AprilSweden 3-5 Czechoslovakia
23 AprilUnited States 1-7 Soviet Union
25 AprilSweden 7-3 United States
25 AprilCzechoslovakia 3-3 Soviet Union

Consolation Round 5–8 place

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
5  Finland 10 2 4 4 35 41 −6 8[a]
6  West Germany 10 3 2 5 26 41 −15 8[b]
7  Poland 10 3 2 5 32 47 −15 8[c]
8  East Germany 10 2 1 7 19 52 −33 5
Source: [citation needed]
Notes:
  1. ^ 5 head-to-head points
  2. ^ 5 head-to-head points
  3. ^ 2 head-to-head points

East Germany was relegated to Group B. Poland was also relegated to make room for the return of team Canada.

20 AprilPoland 5-4 East Germany
20 AprilFinland 4-4 West Germany
22 AprilPoland 5-5 Finland
22 AprilEast Germany 1-1 West Germany
24 AprilFinland 9-3 East Germany
24 AprilPoland 1-2 West Germany

World Championship Group B (Switzerland)

Played in Aarau and Bienne 18–27 March.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
9  Romania 7 5 1 1 40 23 +17 11
10  Japan 7 5 0 2 34 17 +17 10
11  Norway 7 4 0 3 29 21 +8 8
12   Switzerland 7 4 0 3 25 28 −3 8
13  Yugoslavia 7 4 0 3 37 26 +11 8
14  Netherlands 7 3 0 4 22 30 −8 6
15  Italy 7 2 1 4 23 41 −18 5
16  Bulgaria 7 0 0 7 23 47 −24 0
Source: [citation needed]

Romania was promoted to Group A, and both Italy and Bulgaria were relegated to Group C.

18 MarchNetherlands 4-3 Norway
18 MarchSwitzerland 5-1 Bulgaria
18 MarchItaly 2-8 Yugoslavia
18 MarchRomania 7-5 Japan
19 MarchItaly 8-3 Bulgaria
19 MarchSwitzerland 5-4 Yugoslavia
20 MarchJapan 4-0 Netherlands
20 MarchRomania 2-1 Norway
21 MarchYugoslavia 5-2 Romania
21 MarchSwitzerland 4-2 Netherlands
21 MarchItaly 4-2 Norway
21 MarchBulgaria 3-4 Japan
22 MarchYugoslavia 9-7 Bulgaria
22 MarchSwitzerland 4-1 Italy
23 MarchRomania 8-1 Netherlands
23 MarchNorway 3-2 Japan
24 MarchRomania 5-5 Italy
24 MarchJapan 3-2 Yugoslavia
24 MarchNetherlands 5-3 Bulgaria
24 MarchSwitzerland 3-7 Norway
26 MarchJapan 10-0 Italy
26 MarchNorway 7-2 Bulgaria
26 MarchNetherlands 1-5 Yugoslavia
26 MarchSwitzerland 2-7 Romania
27 MarchNorway 6-4 Yugoslavia
27 MarchSwitzerland 2-6 Japan
27 MarchRomania 9-4 Bulgaria
27 MarchNetherlands 9-3 Italy

World Championship Group C (Poland)

Played in Gdańsk 8–13 March.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
17  Austria 4 4 0 0 38 9 +29 8
18  Hungary 4 3 0 1 30 9 +21 6
19  France 4 2 0 2 14 18 −4 4
20  Denmark 4 1 0 3 16 24 −8 2
21  Great Britain 4 0 0 4 6 44 −38 0
Source: [citation needed]

Both Austria and Hungary were promoted to Group B.

8 MarchAustria 4-3 Denmark
8 MarchHungary 11-0 Great Britain
9 MarchGreat Britain 2-21 Austria
9 MarchHungary 6-1 France
10 MarchFrance 7-4 Denmark
11 MarchDenmark 7-3 Great Britain
11 MarchAustria 6-3 Hungary
12 MarchFrance 5-1 Great Britain
13 MarchHungary 10-2 Denmark
13 MarchAustria 7-1 France

Ranking and statistics


 1976 IIHF World Championship winners 

Czechoslovakia
4th title

Tournament Awards[edit]

Final standings

The final standings of the tournament according to IIHF:

1st place, gold medalist(s)  Czechoslovakia
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  Soviet Union
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Sweden
4  United States
5  Finland
6  West Germany
7  Poland
8  East Germany

European championships final standings

The final standings of the European championships according to IIHF:

1st place, gold medalist(s)  Czechoslovakia
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  Sweden
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Soviet Union
4  West Germany
5  Poland
6  Finland
7  East Germany

References

  1. ^ Podnieks page 145
  2. ^ Duplacey page 506
  3. ^ "Soviet Amateur Athlete: A Real Pro (Published 1974)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023.
  4. ^ Salming-less Sweden skips
  5. ^ Washburn, J. N. (21 July 1974). "Soviet Amateur Athlete: A Real Pro". The New York Times.
  6. ^ IIHF (2008). "Poland scores biggest shocker in World Championship history". IIHF.com. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
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