1991 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships

The 1991 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Finland 19 April - 4 May. The games were played in Turku, Helsinki and Tampere. The main venue was Turkuhalli. Eight teams took part, with each team playing each other once. The four best teams then played each other once more. This was the 55th World Championships, and at the same time was the 66th and last Ice Hockey European Championships. 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.

Contents

• Ishockey vm 1991 04 23 sverige schweiz swe sui 4 3
• Consolation Round
• World Championship Group B Yugoslavia
• World Championship Group C Denmark
• Final standings
• European championships final standings
• Scoring leaders
• Leading goaltenders
• References

There were three significant 'lasts' in this year's championships. This would be the last year that a separate European title would be awarded. It seems fitting that the Soviets captured it yet again, in their final appearance as a united nation. Their position in Group A would be inherited by Russia, with Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine all beginning 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 was a very tight battle, except for the Americans. Finding their way there ahead of a disappointing Czechoslovak team, and by narrowing defeating the host Finns, the USA fell out of contention, and then were involved in a controversial finish. The Canadians, having tied both the Swedes and the Soviets needed to win, and hope, in their final game. If they won by five and the Swedes tied the Soviets, they would capture gold. Winning 7-4 in the final minute, and playing short-handed, they miraculously got the two goals they needed. American coach Tim Taylor 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 USSR and Sweden 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.