The main rivalry in the tournament was between the USSR and Czechoslovak national teams. The Czechoslovak team suffered from influenza throughout the tournament, and they finished the game against Poland with only twelve players on the bench. A doping test of one of the players was positive and a loss was recorded for the Czechoslovak team, although Poland did not receive points. In the deciding game, Czechoslovakia was up 2–0 after the first period. In the second, the score was tied by Vladimir Shadrin and Vladimir Petrov. Eight minutes before the end of the game Eduard Novák scored the third goal for the Czechoslovak team. But subsequent goals by Aleksandr Yakushev and one minute later by Valeri Kharlamov led to the victory of the USSR, 4–3. The Soviet team won their fourth consecutive gold medal and fifth title overall. Heralded as one of the great moments in German ice hockey, the West German team won a surprising bronze. After beating the Americans on the final day the German team celebrated what they believed to be a fourth place finish. While in the locker room they were informed that they had actually come third. The three way tie was broken by first comparing the teams head-to-head goal differential, then the remaining tied teams' goal ratio. Sweden, having several of their top players now playing in the NHL and WHA, chose to join Canada in protesting the amateur rules and boycotted the games. They were also dissatisfied with the fact that the Soviet and Czechoslovak state-funded players who were de facto professionals were allowed to participate, meaning that Eastern Bloc countries did have an ability to send their best players, but the Western nations did not.
Medalists
First round
In the first round teams were seeded according to their placement in the 1975World Championships. Winners of this round qualified for Group A to play for 1st–6th places, while the losers competed in Group B for 7th–12th places. Qualifiers from East Germany and Norway chose not to play. 1975 ranking appears in parentheses.
First place team wins gold, second silver and third bronze.
Rank
Team
Pld
W
L
T
GF
GA
Pts
1
5
5
0
0
40
11
10
2
5
3
2
0
17
10
6
3
5
2
3
0
21
24
4
4
5
2
3
0
19
18
4
5
5
2
3
0
15
21
4
6
5
1
4
0
9
37
0
February 6
*Czechoslovakia 2–1 Finland
*West Germany 7–4 Poland
*USSR 6–2 USA
February 8
*Finland 5–3 West Germany
*USSR 16–1 Poland
*Czechoslovakia 5–0 USA
February 10
*USSR 7–3 West Germany
*Poland 1–0* Czechoslovakia
*USA 5–4 Finland
February 12
*Czechoslovakia 7–4 West Germany
*USA 7–2 Poland
*USSR 7–2 Finland
February 14
*USSR 4–3 Czechoslovakia
*Finland 7–1 Poland
*West Germany 4–1 USA
*Note: The score after the Czechoslovakia vs Poland match was 7–1, but due to the positive doping test of one of the Czechoslovak players, the team was recorded a 0–1 loss. Poland didn't receive any points.
Consolation round
Teams that lost their games in the qualification round played in this group.
Rank
Pld
W
L
T
GF
GA
Pts
7
5
4
1
0
23
15
8
8
5
3
2
0
18
14
6
9
5
3
2
0
20
18
6
10
5
3
2
0
22
19
6
11
5
2
3
0
24
22
4
12
5
0
5
0
19
38
0
February 5
*Yugoslavia 6–4 Switzerland
*Romania 3–1 Japan
*Austria 6–2 Bulgaria
February 7
*Yugoslavia 4–3 Romania
*Switzerland 8–3 Bulgaria
*Austria 3–2 Japan
February 9
*Yugoslavia 8–5 Bulgaria
*Austria 3–4 Romania
*Japan 6–4 Switzerland
February 11
*Romania 9–4 Bulgaria
*Austria 3–5 Switzerland
*Japan 4–3 Yugoslavia
February 13
*Romania 4–3 Switzerland
*Japan 7–5 Bulgaria
*Austria 3–1 Yugoslavia
Statistics
Average age
Team Bulgaria was the oldest team in the tournament, averaging 27 years and 9 months. Team USA was the youngest team in the tournament, averaging 22 years and 4 months. Gold medalists team USSR averaged 26 years and 4 months. Tournament average was 25 years and 7 months.
Vladimir Shadrin
Erich Kühnhackl
Bob Dobek