Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Men's tournament

The men's tournament in ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics was held in Turin, Italy, from 15 to 26 February. Twelve teams competed, with Sweden winning the gold medal, Finland winning silver, and the Czech Republic winning bronze. It was the third Olympic tournament to feature National Hockey League (NHL) players and the tenth best-on-best hockey tournament in history. United States defenseman Chris Chelios set a standard for longest time between his first Olympic ice hockey tournament and his last—he had competed twenty-two years earlier at the 1984 Olympics.[1] The old record was set by Swiss hockey player Bibi Torriani. who had played twenty years after his debut (1928 and 1948).

2006 Winter Olympics
Tournament details
Host country Italy
Dates15–26 February
Teams12
Venue(s)2 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions  Sweden (2nd title)
Runner-up  Finland
Third place  Czech Republic
Fourth place Russia
Tournament statistics
Matches played38
Goals scored206 (5.42 per match)
Attendance236,013 (6,211 per match)
Scoring leader(s) Teemu Selänne
(11 points)
MVP Antero Niittymäki
← 2002
2010 →
Ice hockey at the
2006 Winter Olympics
Qualification
menwomen
Tournament
menwomen
Rosters
menwomen

The tournament format was changed from the 1998 and 2002 tournaments to a format similar to the 1992 and 1994 tournaments. The number of teams was reduced from 14 to 12, which were split into two groups in the preliminary stage (which followed a round robin format). Each team played the other teams in their group once. The top four teams from each group advanced to the quarter-finals.

The tournament is also notable for the lacklustre performance of defending champion Canada, which lost two group stage games (including a shock defeat to Switzerland) before being eliminated by Russia in the quarter-finals. There were allegations that Sweden intentionally lost their final group game against Slovakia to set up a quarterfinal against Switzerland.

In the semi-finals, Sweden defeated the Czech Republic 7–3, and Finland ousted Russia 4–0. Sweden won its second ice hockey gold, and first in a best-on-best competition, over Finland 3–2 and the Czech Republic won the bronze medal over Russia 3–0. Three months later, Sweden won the 2006 World Championships and became the first team to win the Olympic and World Championship gold in the same year.[2]

Qualification
Main article: Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Men's qualification

Canada, Sweden, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Finland, United States, Russia and Germany qualified as the top eight teams in the IIHF World Ranking in 2004. Italy qualified as host team. The remaining three teams qualified from qualification tournaments.

Event Date Location Vacancies Qualified
Host 19 June 1999 Seoul 1  Italy
2004 IIHF World Ranking[a] 26 March 2001 – 9 May 2004 Prague and Ostrava[b] 8  Canada
 Sweden
 Slovakia
 Czech Republic
 Finland
 United States
 Russia
 Germany
Final qualification tournament 10–13 February 2005 Kloten 1   Switzerland
Final qualification tournament 10–13 February 2005 Riga 1  Latvia
Final qualification tournament 10–13 February 2005 Klagenfurt 1  Kazakhstan
Total12
Notes
  1. a 2004 IIHF World Ranking were comprising the following events: 2001 World Championship, 2002 Winter Olympic Games, 2002 World Championship, 2003 World Championship and 2004 World Championship
  2. b Prague and Ostrava were the sites for 2004 IIHF World Championship; at the conclusion of the tournament the ranking were finalized with regards to the qualification slots.

Rosters
Main article: Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Men's team rosters

Preliminary round

All times are local (UTC+1).

Group A
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Finland 5 5 0 0 19 2 +17 10 Quarterfinals
2   Switzerland 5 2 2 1 10 12 −2 6
3  Canada 5 3 0 2 15 9 +6 6
4  Czech Republic 5 2 0 3 14 12 +2 4
5  Germany 5 0 2 3 7 16 −9 2
6  Italy (H) 5 0 2 3 9 23 −14 2
Source: IIHF
(H) Host.
15 February 2006
13:05		Italy 2–7
(0–1, 2–5, 0–1)		 CanadaPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,575
15 February 2006
15:35		Switzerland  0–5
(0–1, 0–4, 0–0)		 FinlandTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 2,960
15 February 2006
17:05		Germany 1–4
(1–0, 0–2, 0–2)		 Czech RepublicPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 6,463
16 February 2006
12:05		Finland 6–0
(0–0, 4–0, 2–0)		 ItalyPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 7,776
16 February 2006
13:05		Czech Republic 2–3
(0–1, 1–1, 1–1)		  SwitzerlandTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 3,400
16 February 2006
20:05		Canada 5–1
(3–0, 1–1, 1–0)		 GermanyPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,554
18 February 2006
13:05		Italy 3–3
(1–0, 0–1, 2–2)		 GermanyPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,908
18 February 2006
15:35		Canada 0–2
(0–1, 0–1, 0–0)		  SwitzerlandTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 4,769
18 February 2006
21:05		Czech Republic 2–4
(1–1, 1–1, 0–2)		 FinlandPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,705
19 February 2006
12:05		Germany 2–2
(0–0, 1–2, 1–0)		  SwitzerlandPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,756
19 February 2006
20:05		Czech Republic 4–1
(2–0, 1–0, 1–1)		 ItalyPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,776
19 February 2006
21:05		Finland 2–0
(2–0, 0–0, 0–0)		 CanadaTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 4,420
21 February 2006
12:35		Switzerland  3–3
(2–1, 0–1, 1–1)		 ItalyPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,529
21 February 2006
15:35		Finland 2–0
(1–0, 1–0, 0–0)		 GermanyTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 2,430
21 February 2006
16:35		Canada 3–2
(3–0, 0–1, 0–1)		 Czech RepublicPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 9,126

Group B
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Slovakia 5 5 0 0 18 8 +10 10 Quarterfinals
2  Russia 5 4 0 1 23 11 +12 8
3  Sweden 5 3 0 2 15 12 +3 6
4  United States 5 1 1 3 13 13 0 3
5  Kazakhstan 5 1 0 4 9 16 −7 2
6  Latvia 5 0 1 4 11 29 −18 1
Source: IIHF
15 February 2006
11:35		Kazakhstan 2–7
(0–3, 1–4, 1–0)		 SwedenTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 2,200
15 February 2006
20:05		Russia 3–5
(2–1, 1–2, 0–2)		 SlovakiaTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 3,800
15 February 2006
21:05		Latvia 3–3
(1–2, 2–0, 0–1)		 United StatesPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 7,851
15 February 2006
16:05		Sweden 0–5
(0–0, 0–3, 0–2)		 RussiaPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,545
16 February 2006
17:05		Slovakia 6–3
(4–1, 1–2, 1–0)		 LatviaTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 2,960
16 February 2006
21:05		United States 4–1
(3–0, 0–0, 1–1)		 KazakhstanTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 3,400
18 February 2006
11:35		Kazakhstan 0–1
(0–0, 0–1, 0–0)		 RussiaTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 3,660
18 February 2006
17:05		Sweden 6–1
(1–0, 4–0, 1–1)		 LatviaPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,795
18 February 2006
20:05		Slovakia 2–1
(0–0, 1–1, 1–0)		 United StatesTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 4,697
19 February 2006
13:05		Russia 9–2
(3–1, 3–0, 3–1)		 LatviaTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 4,310
19 February 2006
16:05		Slovakia 2–1
(0–1, 1–0, 1–0)		 KazakhstanPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 9,160
19 February 2006
17:05		United States 1–2
(1–1, 0–0, 0–1)		 SwedenTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 4,450
21 February 2006
11:35		Latvia 2–5
(1–1, 0–1, 1–3)		 KazakhstanTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 2,300
21 February 2006
20:05		Sweden 0–3
(0–1, 0–0, 0–2)		 SlovakiaTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 4,250

Allegations have surfaced of Sweden throwing the game against Slovakia so the Swedes would face Switzerland in the quarterfinals instead of Canada or the Czech Republic. Shortly before the game, Sweden coach Bengt-Åke Gustafsson was reported to have publicly contemplated tanking in order to avoid those teams, saying about Canada and the Czechs, "One is cholera, the other the plague."[3] During the game itself, one reportedly suspect sequence came when Sweden had an extended five-on-three powerplay with five NHL stars on the ice—Peter Forsberg, Mats Sundin, Daniel Alfredsson, Nicklas Lidström and Fredrik Modin—and failed to put a shot on net. Sports Illustrated writer Michael Farber would say about this particular powerplay, "If the Swedes had passed the puck any more, their next opponent would have been the Washington Generals." "[They] were even afraid to shoot!", Russian coach Vladimir Krikunov said.[3]

As part of a subsequent interview about the championship over five years later, Forsberg was interpreted to insinuate that Sweden lost their preliminary round game against Slovakia on purpose, so as to draw Switzerland as their quarterfinal opponent, rather than Canada or the Czech Republic. Swedish forward Henrik Sedin, who played alongside Forsberg on the 2006 team denied the notion while adding that Forsberg's comments in the interview were misconstrued.[4][5]

21 February 2006
20:35		United States 4–5
(1–2, 1–1, 2–2)		 RussiaPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 9,378

Playoff round

Bracket
 
QuarterfinalsSemifinalsGold medal game
 
          
 
22 February
 
 
 Finland4
 
24 February
 
 United States3
 
 Finland4
 
22 February
 
 Russia0
 
 Russia2
 
26 February
 
 Canada0
 
 Finland2
 
22 February
 
 Sweden3
 
 Slovakia1
 
24 February
 
 Czech Republic3
 
 Sweden7
 
22 February
 
 Czech Republic3 Bronze medal game
 
  Switzerland2
 
25 February
 
 Sweden6
 
 Russia0
 
 
 Czech Republic3
 

Quarterfinals
22 February 2006
16:35		Switzerland  2–6
(1–2, 0–3, 1–1)		 SwedenTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 2,970
22 February 2006
17:35		Finland 4–3
(2–1, 2–1, 0–1)		 United StatesPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 6,691
22 February 2006
20:35		Russia 2–0
(0–0, 0–0, 2–0)		 CanadaTorino Esposizioni, Turin
Attendance: 4,130
22 February 2006
21:35		Slovakia 1–3
(0–1, 0–1, 1–1)		 Czech RepublicPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 6,893

Semifinals
24 February 2006
16:35		Sweden 7–3
(2–1, 4–2, 1–0)		 Czech RepublicPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,071
24 February 2006
21:05		Finland 4–0
(1–0, 2–0, 1–0)		 RussiaPalasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,702

Bronze medal game
25 February 2006
20:35		Russia 0–3
(0–1, 0–1, 0–1)		 Czech Republic Palasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,379

Gold medal game
26 February 2006
14:05		 Finland 2–3
(1–0, 1–2, 0–1)		 Sweden Palasport Olimpico, Turin
Attendance: 8,274

Final ranking
Rank Team
 Sweden
 Finland
 Czech Republic
4 Russia
5 Slovakia
6  Switzerland
7 Canada
8 United States
9 Kazakhstan
10 Germany
11 Italy
12 Latvia

Statistics

Average age

Team USA was the oldest team in the tournament, averaging 31 years and 8 months. Team Germany was the youngest team in the tournament, averaging 26 years and 7 months. Gold medalists team Sweden averaged 29 years and 7 months. Tournament average was 29 years and 2 months.[6]

Scoring leaders

List shows the top ten skaters sorted by points, then goals.

PlayerGPGAPts+/−PIMPOS
Teemu Selänne86511+74F
Saku Koivu83811+512F
Daniel Alfredsson85510+24F
Marián Hossa65510+94F
Ville Peltonen8459+46F
Olli Jokinen8628+52F
Jere Lehtinen8358+60F
Mats Sundin8358+14F
Martin Straka8268+46F
Pavel Datsyuk8178+510F

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/− = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalties in Minutes; POS = Position
Source: IIHF

Leading goaltenders

Only the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage, who have played at least 40% of their team's minutes, are included in this list.

PlayerTOIGAGAASASv%SO
Antero Niittymäki358:5181.3416495.123
Evgeni Nabokov359:2781.3413494.033
David Aebischer200:0072.1011794.020
Peter Budaj179:2462.017992.410
Martin Brodeur238:4082.0110492.310

TOI = Time on Ice (minutes:seconds); SA = Shots Against; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals against average; Sv% = Save Percentage; SO = Shutouts
Source: IIHF

Awards

Source: IIHF

Source: IIHF

References
  1. Szemberg, Szymon; Podnieks, Andrew (2008). IIHF Top 100 Hockey Stories of All Time. Bolton, Ontario, Canada: Fenn Publishing. p. 120. ISBN 978-1-55168-358-4.
  2. Podnieks & Szemberg 2008, Story #8–Sweden's unique double, Olympics & Worlds.
  3. Farber, Michael (March 6, 2006). "Swede Success". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  4. "Report: Peter Forsberg Says Sweden Threw Game During 2006 Winter Olympics". NESN. 19 December 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  5. "Forsberg shocker: admits Sweden may have tanked game in 2006 Olympics". Denver Post. 18 December 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  6. https://www.quanthockey.com/olympics/en/teams/team-canada-players-2006-olympics-stats.html
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