The Olympic Mens Ice Hockey Standings, Explained

Oh. My. God.  Did you see that game?  It was, like, one of the best hockey games ever played, that’s all.  It was exciting, wasn’t it?  USA 5, Canada 3.  I felt like Bob Carr, radio man for the Charlestown Cheifs in “Slapshot”; the spittle flying from his lips, just about out of wind, barely managing to get the words out:  “THIS IS HOCKEY!”

It was almost as good as the win over the Soviet in 1980 except those were college kids taking on the Red Army team and here, 30 years later, we cheer for a plucky bunch of guys struggling to get by on only 3 or 4 or 8 million dollars a year.  But, other than that, pretty much it was the same.

So, now you ask, “Richard, what’s next?”

Here we go.  It all depends on the big Finland v Sweden game which begins in about an hour and which—like USA/Canada—I will have to watch on MSNBC with the sound down.  I can’t stand Mike Emrick’s broadcasting (really, really nice guy, though) and I won’t listen to that little prig whatshisname, who got his job because of his dad.  Besides, I met him and, unlike Emerick, he is not a nice guy.  

Now, if Finland wins, (in regulation time, that is) they will tie the US for first place  in the Preliminary Round but will have a higher goal differential than the Americans will thus be awarded first place and the right to meet the winner of the Qualification Playoff Game between Switzerland and Belarus in the Quarterfinals and America will play the winner of the the Qualification Playoff Game between Slovakia and Norway in the Quarters.

If Sweden beats Finland in regulation time, they will tie Team USA with 9 points, but unless they beat the Fins by five goals, would trail the Americans in goal differential.  If they do beat Finland by 5, they would tie the US in goal differential, but would still finish second because the US would own the next tiebreaker which is goals scored.  To pass the USA and finish first, Sweden will have to finish off the Fins by at least a 6-goal margin or by a 5-goal margin while scoring at least 8 goals.  That would tie Sweden with the US in goals scored and the next tie-breaker is 2009 IIHF world ranking in which Sweden is 3rd and the US 5th.  Note: if Sweden scores 9 or more goals against Finland and wins in regulation time, they would finish first, as long as they beat the Fins by at least 5 goals.

If the Sweden/Finland game is tied at the end of 60 minutes, the US will finish first because once a game goes OT in the Olympics, the winner is awarded only two points. 

So, it’s all really quite simple, as you can see.  If the US winds up in first place in the Preliminary Round, they get the winner of Switzerland v Belarus.  If Team USA finishes second under any of the above scenarios, they will play the winner of the game between Slovakia and Norway.

I hope this has helped…