1959 Ice Hockey World Championships

The 1959 Ice Hockey World Championships were held between 5 March and 15 March 1959, in Prague, and six other cities in Czechoslovakia. Canada, represented by the Belleville McFarlands, won their 18th World championship, winning every game but their last. The Soviet Union finished second, claiming their fifth European title followed by the host Czechoslovaks. In the consolation round, West Germany played against East Germany for the first time in a World Championship, winning easily, 8–0. The Canadian games were broadcast on CJBQ radio by Jack Devine.[1]

1959 Ice Hockey World Championships
Tournament details
Host country Czechoslovakia
Dates5–15 March
Teams12
Final positions
Champions  Canada (18th title)
Runner-up  Soviet Union
Third place  Czechoslovakia
Fourth place United States
Tournament statistics
Games played48
Goals scored397 (8.27 per game)
Attendance406,601 (8,471 per game)
Scoring leader(s)Canada Red Berenson (13 points)
← 1958
1960 →
Trophy awarded for the 1959 World Championships

World Championship Group A (Czechoslovakia) edit

First round edit

Twelve teams played in three groups where first and second place advanced to the final round, while the 3rd and 4th place teams competed in a consolation round.

Group 1 edit

Played in Bratislava.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1   Canada 3 3 0 0 39 2 +37 6
2   Czechoslovakia 3 2 0 1 24 8 +16 4
3    Switzerland 3 1 0 2 8 35 −27 2
4   Poland 3 0 0 3 4 30 −26 0
Source: [citation needed]
5 MarchCzechoslovakia  9–0   Switzerland
5 MarchCanada  9–0  Poland
6 MarchCanada  23–0   Switzerland
6 MarchCzechoslovakia  13–1  Poland
7 MarchPoland  3–8   Switzerland
7 MarchCanada  7–2  Czechoslovakia

Group 2 edit

Played in Brno.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1   Soviet Union 3 3 0 0 24 5 +19 6
2   United States 3 2 0 1 22 10 +12 4
3   Norway 3 1 0 2 10 26 −16 2
4   East Germany 3 0 0 3 6 21 −15 0
Source: [citation needed]
5 MarchSoviet Union  6–1  East Germany
5 MarchNorway  3–10  United States
6 MarchUnited States  9–2  East Germany
6 MarchNorway  1–13  Soviet Union
7 MarchEast Germany  3–6  Norway
7 MarchSoviet Union  5–3  United States

Group 3 edit

Played in Ostrava.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1   Sweden 3 2 1 0 21 5 +16 5
2   Finland 3 1 1 1 13 12 +1 3
3   West Germany 3 1 0 2 11 13 −2 2
4   Italy 3 1 0 2 7 22 −15 2
Source: [citation needed]
5 MarchSweden  11–0  Italy
5 MarchFinland  5–3  West Germany
6 MarchItaly  2–7  West Germany
6 MarchSweden  4–4  Finland
7 MarchItaly  5–4  Finland
7 MarchWest Germany  1–6  Sweden

Final Round edit

Played in Prague. Canada finished first by virtue of a better goal differential, 14 to 10. The Czechoslovaks captured bronze in dramatic fashion, they needed to win against the previously undefeated Canadians in the final game and by enough of a margin to beat out the Americans on tie-breakers. By scoring an empty net goal in the dying moments of the final game[2] the Czechs equaled the Americans on points (6 each), and goal differential (8 each). The final tie-breaker was goal average, in which the Czechs had the advantage 1.57 to 1.53.[2]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1   Canada 5 4 0 1 21 7 +14 8
2   Soviet Union 5 4 0 1 20 10 +10 8
3   Czechoslovakia 5 3 0 2 22 14 +8 6
4   United States 5 3 0 2 23 15 +8 6
5   Sweden 5 1 0 4 6 21 −15 2
6   Finland 5 0 0 5 7 32 −25 0
Source: [citation needed]
9 MarchCanada  6–0  Finland
9 MarchSoviet Union  5–1  United States
9 MarchCzechoslovakia  4–1  Sweden
10 MarchCzechoslovakia  8–2  Finland
10 MarchUnited States  7–1  Sweden
11 MarchUnited States  10–3  Finland
11 MarchSoviet Union  1–3  Canada
12 MarchCanada  5–0  Sweden
12 MarchCzechoslovakia  3–4  Soviet Union
13 MarchSweden  2–1  Finland
13 MarchCzechoslovakia  2–4  United States
14 MarchUnited States  1–4  Canada
14 MarchFinland  1–6  Soviet Union
15 MarchSoviet Union  4–2  Sweden
15 MarchCzechoslovakia  5–3  Canada

Consolation round edit

Played in Kladno, Mladá Boleslav and Kolín.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
7   West Germany 5 4 1 0 30 9 +21 9
8   Norway 5 3 1 1 20 20 0 7
9   East Germany 5 3 0 2 20 21 −1 6
10   Italy 5 2 1 2 20 17 +3 5
11   Poland 5 1 0 4 11 20 −9 2
12    Switzerland 5 0 1 4 8 22 −14 1
Source: [citation needed]
9 MarchPoland  1–5  East Germany
9 MarchNorway  4–4   Switzerland
9 MarchWest Germany  2–2  Italy
10 MarchItaly  3–4  Norway
10 MarchPoland  3–5  West Germany
10 MarchEast Germany  6–2   Switzerland
11 MarchWest Germany  8–0  East Germany
11 MarchSwitzerland  1–4  Italy
11 MarchNorway  4–3  Poland
13 MarchEast Germany  8–6  Italy
13 MarchWest Germany  9–4  Norway
13 MarchSwitzerland  1–2  Poland
14 MarchSwitzerland  0–6  West Germany
14 MarchPoland  2–5  Italy
14 MarchNorway  4–1  East Germany

World Championship Group B (Czechoslovakia) edit

Three other nations played a secondary tournament in Plzeň. A Czechoslovakia 'B' (junior) team also participated in the tournament. Had their games counted, they would've finished first.

Final Round edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
13   Romania 2 2 0 0 12 4 +8 4
14   Hungary 2 1 0 1 5 9 −4 2
15   Austria 2 0 0 2 4 8 −4 0
Source: [citation needed]
5 MarchHungary  3–2  Austria
6 MarchCzechoslovakia   B3–0  Romania
7 MarchRomania  5–2  Austria
8 MarchCzechoslovakia   B7–1  Austria
9 MarchCzechoslovakia   B17–2  Hungary
10 MarchRomania  7–2  Hungary

European Championship medal table edit

    Soviet Union
    Czechoslovakia
    Sweden
4   Finland
5   West Germany
6   Norway
7   East Germany
8   Italy
9   Poland
10    Switzerland
13   Romania
14   Hungary
15   Austria

Tournament awards edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Boyce, Gerry (2008). Belleville: A Popular History. Toronto, Ontario: Natural Heritage Books. pp. 218–219. ISBN 978-1-55002-863-8.
  2. ^ a b Ottawa Citizen March 16, 1959, page 13.
  3. ^ "Bill Cleary". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 26 July 2022.

References edit