With the conclusion of the NHL regular season comes the IIHF World Championship, international hockey’s biggest yearly tournament. This spring’s event, the 79th to be played, will kick off on Friday, May 1 in the Czech Republic and conclude on May 17.
IIHF World Championship 2015: Bracket, schedule and scores
The 79th IIHF World Championship is underway.
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The stakes are especially high this year, as it will have a substantial influence on the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. According to the IIHF, Olympic qualification is determined by the countries' cumulative work in the 2014 Olympics and 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 World Championships.
The format
The 16 participating countries have been broken down into two groups of eight for the preliminary round -- Group A and Group B. The top four teams from each group will move on to the quarterfinals. This will be a crossover round, meaning each team will play an opponent from the other group. No. 1 seeds will play the No. 4 seeds; No. 2 seeds will play the No. 3 seeds.
The victors will move on to the semifinals and then the gold medal game. The two losers of the semifinal contests will square off for the bronze medal.
Unlike the NHL, the World Championship uses a three point system. A regulation win is worth three points, an overtime or shootout win is worth two points, an overtime or shootout loss is worth one point and a regulation loss is worth zero points.
The teams
Group A
1. Sweden
2. Canada
3. Czech Republic
4. Switzerland
5. Latvia
6. France
7. Germany
8. Austria
Group B
1. Finland
2. Russia
3. United States
4. Slovakia
5. Norway
6. Belarus
7. Slovenia
8. Denmark
Schedule and results
Via Lighthouse Hockey
All times Eastern
| Round | Group | Date | Visitor | Home | Location | Status |
| Preliminary | A | Fri, May 1 | Latvia, 1 | Canada, 6 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Fri, May 1 | Finland, 1 | United States, 5 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Fri, May 1 | Sweden, 6 | Czech Republic, 5 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Fri, May 1 | Norway, 2 | Russia, 6 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Sat, May 2 | Austria, 4 | Switzerland, 3 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 6:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Sat, May 2 | Denmark, 3 | Slovakia, 4 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 6:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Sat, May 2 | Germany, 2 | France, 1 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Sat, May 2 | Slovenia, 2 | Belarus, 4 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Sat, May 2 | Czech Republic, 4 | Latvia, 2 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Sat, May 2 | United States, 2 | Norway, 1 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Sun, May 3 | Sweden, 6 | Austria, 1 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 6:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Sun, May 3 | Slovenia, 3 | Russia, 5 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 6:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Sun, May 3 | Germany, 0 | Canada, 10 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Sun, May 3 | Slovakia, 2 | Belarus, 1 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Sun, May 3 | Switzerland, 3 | France, 1 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Sun, May 3 | Finland, 3 | Denmark, 0 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Mon, May 4 | Sweden, 8 | Latvia, 1 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Mon, May 4 | United States, 4 | Russia, 2 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Mon, May 4 | Czech Republic, 3 | Canada, 6 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Mon, May 4 | Finland, 5 | Norway, 0 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Tue, May 5 | Germany, 0 | Switzerland, 1 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Tue, May 5 | Belarus, 5 | Denmark, 1 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Tue, May 5 | France, 2 | Austria, 1 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Tue, May 5 | Slovenia, 1 | Slovakia, 3 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Wed, May 6 | Latvia, 2 | Switzerland, 1 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Wed, May 6 | Denmark, 2 | Russia, 5 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Wed, May 6 | Canada, 6 | Sweden, 4 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Wed, May 6 | Norway, 3 | Slovakia, 2 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Thu, May 7 | France, 1 | Czech Republic, 5 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Thu, May 7 | Belarus, 5 | United States, 2 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Thu, May 7 | Germany, 3 | Sweden, 4 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Thu, May 7 | Slovenia, 0 | Finland, 4 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Fri, May 8 | Austria, 0 | Czech Republic, 4 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Fri, May 8 | Norway, 3 | Slovenia, 1 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Fri, May 8 | Latvia, 1 | Germany, 2 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Fri, May 8 | Denmark, 0 | United States, 1 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Sat, May 9 | Canada, 4 | France, 3 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 6:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Sat, May 9 | Russia, 7 | Belarus, 0 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 6:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Sat, May 9 | Latvia, 2 | Austria, 1 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Sat, May 9 | Slovakia, 0 | Finland, 3 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Sat, May 9 | Switzerland, 1 | Sweden, 2 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Sat, May 9 | Norway, 1 | Denmark, 4 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Sun, May 10 | Czech Republic, 4 | Germany, 2 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Sun, May 10 | United States, 3 | Slovenia, 1 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Sun, May 10 | Canada, 7 | Switzerland, 2 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Sun, May 10 | Russia, 3 | Slovakia, 2 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Mon, May 11 | Austria, 3 | Germany, 2 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Mon, May 11 | Belarus, 2 | Finland, 3 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Mon, May 11 | France, 2 | Sweden, 4 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Mon, May 11 | Denmark, 0 | Slovakia, 1 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Tue, May 12 | Austria, 1 | Canada, 10 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 6:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Tue, May 12 | Belarus, 3 | Norway, 2 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 6:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Tue, May 12 | France, 3 | Latvia, 2 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Tue, May 12 | Slovakia, 4 | United States, 5 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT |
| Preliminary | A | Tue, May 12 | Switzerland, 1 | Czech Republic, 2 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Preliminary | B | Tue, May 12 | Russia, 2 | Finland, 3 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT |
| Quarter-final | Thu, May 14 | United States, 3 | Switzerland, 1 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 9:15 AM EDT | |
| Quarter-final | Thu, May 14 | Canada, 9 | Belarus, 0 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT | |
| Quarter-final | Thu, May 14 | Sweden, 3 | Russia, 5 | ČEZ Aréna, Ostrava, CZE | 1:15 PM EDT | |
| Quarter-final | Thu, May 14 | Finland, 3 | Czech Republic, 5 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:15 PM EDT | |
| Semifinal | Sat, May 16 | Canada, 2 | Czech Republic, 0 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 9:15 AM EDT | |
| Semifinal | Sat, May 16 | United States, 0 | Russia, 4 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 1:15 PM EDT | |
| Bronze | Sun, May 17 | United States, 3 | Czech Republic, 0 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 10:15 AM EDT | |
| Gold | Sun, May 17 | Canada, 6 | Russia, 1 | O2 Arena, Prague, CZE | 2:45 PM EDT |
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