1986 World Ice Hockey Championships

1986 World Ice Hockey Championships
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Year	1986
Host country	Soviet Union
Dates	April 12–28
Venues	Luzhniki Palace of Sports, Sokolniki Arena
Champion	Soviet Union
Champion flag	Soviet Union
Runner-up	Sweden
Runner-up flag	Sweden
Third	Canada
Third flag	Canada
Fourth	United States
Fourth flag	United States
Games	40
Goals	300
Attendance	300,000
Mvp	Vladimir Krutov
Top scorer	Vladimir Krutov (12 points)

1986 World Ice Hockey Championships were the 51st edition of the IIHF World Championship, hosted by the Soviet Union in Moscow. The tournament was held from April 12 to 28, primarily at the Luzhniki Palace of Sports and the Sokolniki Arena. The Soviet team captured the gold medal on home ice, continuing their dominance in international hockey during the era. The event featured the top eight nations from the previous year's championship, competing in a round-robin format.

Background and participating nations

The 1986 championships were awarded to the Soviet Union, marking a significant event during the height of the Cold War and the sporting rivalry between the Eastern Bloc and the Western world. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) maintained its policy of inviting the top eight finishers from the 1985 tournament in Prague. The participating nations were the defending champion Czechoslovakia, the host Soviet Union, Sweden, Canada, the United States, Finland, the Federal Republic of Germany, and Switzerland. Notably, this tournament occurred shortly after the 1986 Goodwill Games and served as a key benchmark for teams preparing for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.

Tournament format

The championship employed a standard two-stage round-robin format. In the preliminary round, the eight teams were divided into two groups of four based on their final standings from the 1985 World Ice Hockey Championships. Each group played a single round-robin, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the final round to compete for the championship. The bottom two teams from each preliminary group were relegated to the consolation round, where they played for fifth through eighth places. All points from games between teams that advanced from the same preliminary group were carried over to the final round, a common IIHF practice at the time.

Preliminary round

Group A featured the Soviet Union, Sweden, the United States, and Switzerland. The Soviets, led by coach Viktor Tikhonov and stars like Vladislav Tretiak, Viacheslav Fetisov, and Sergei Makarov, dominated their group. Sweden, coached by Curt Lindström and featuring Thomas Rundqvist and Mats Näslund, also advanced comfortably. In Group B, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Finland, and West Germany battled. Canada, with players like James Patrick and Doug Lidster, and the defending champion Czechoslovak team, led by Dárius Rusnák and Jiří Lála, progressed to the final round.

Final round

The medal contenders in the final round were the Soviet Union, Sweden, Canada, and Czechoslovakia. The Soviets continued their formidable play, with the KLM line of Vladimir Krutov, Igor Larionov, and Sergei Makarov proving particularly dominant. A key match was the clash between Sweden and Canada, which ended in a Swedish victory, setting up a decisive final game. The Czechoslovaks, despite a strong roster, were unable to replicate their success from 1985 and fell out of medal contention.

Medal round and final standings

The final standings were determined by the cumulative results of the final round. The Soviet Union secured the gold medal with a perfect record, culminating in a decisive victory over Sweden in their final game. Sweden claimed the silver medal, their best finish since winning the 1981 championship. Canada earned the bronze medal, marking a return to the podium. The United States, led by coach Dave Peterson and players like Chris Chelios and Pat LaFontaine, won the consolation round to finish fifth overall, followed by Finland, Czechoslovakia, and West Germany.

Statistics and awards

The tournament saw 300 goals scored over 40 games. Soviet forward Vladimir Krutov was named the tournament's most valuable player and also led as top scorer with 12 points. The IIHF Directorate Best Player Awards were given to goaltender Vladislav Tretiak of the Soviet Union, defenseman James Patrick of Canada, and forward Mikael Andersson of Sweden. The media All-Star team featured Vladislav Tretiak, defensemen Viacheslav Fetisov and James Patrick, and forwards Vladimir Krutov, Igor Larionov, and Mats Näslund. The event set an attendance record for a world championship, with over 300,000 spectators filling the arenas in Moscow.

Category:1986 in ice hockey Category:IIHF World Championships Category:International ice hockey competitions hosted by the Soviet Union Category:1986 in Soviet sport