2015 IIHF World Championship playoff round

The playoff round of the 2015 IIHF World Championship was held from 14 to 17 May 2015. The top four of each preliminary group qualified for the playoff round.

Qualified teams

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Group Winners Runners-up Third place Fourth place
A   Canada   Sweden   Czech Republic    Switzerland
B   United States   Finland   Russia   Belarus

Bracket

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Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
A1   Canada 9
B4   Belarus 0
A1   Canada 2
A3   Czech Republic 0
B2   Finland 3
A3   Czech Republic 5
A1   Canada 6
B3   Russia 1
B1   United States 3
A4    Switzerland 1
B1   United States 0 Bronze medal game
B3   Russia 4
A2   Sweden 3 B1   United States 3
B3   Russia 5 A3   Czech Republic 0

Quarterfinals

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United States vs Switzerland

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The game started out with an early and surprising first period lead for Switzerland after a goal from NHLer Roman Josi.[1] The United States scored 2 quick goals midway through of the game, switching the lead to the Americans, but the Swiss' weren't done until Jake Gardiner scored the third goal ten minutes before the end of the game which put the United States in the semifinals.[2]

14 May 2015
15:15
United States  3–1
(0–1, 2–0, 1–0)
   SwitzerlandČEZ Aréna, Ostrava
Attendance: 6,495
Game reference
Connor HellebuyckGoaliesReto BerraReferees:
  Vyacheslav Bulanov
  Jyri Rönn
Linesmen:
  Jimmy Dahmen
  Bevan Mills
0–113:04 – Josi
Smith (Vesey, Arcobello) – 30:171–1
Coyle (Jones, Lee) – 31:142–1
Gardiner (Coyle, Lee) – 50:333–1
6 minPenalties4 min
24Shots22

Canada vs Belarus

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The game was nearly wrapped up after the first period, in which Canada scored four goals, including one after just 27 seconds by Brent Burns. The Canadians were in full control and never let up and ended up winning convincingly 9–0 while putting up 50 shots.[3]

14 May 2015
16:15
Canada  9–0
(4–0, 2–0, 3–0)
  BelarusO2 Arena, Prague
Attendance: 15,126
Game reference
Mike SmithGoaliesKevin LalandeReferees:
  Timothy Mayer
  Marcus Vinnerborg
Linesmen:
  Miroslav Lhotský
  Jon Killian
Burns (Crosby, Hall) – 00:271–0
Ennis (Barrie, Muzzin) – 07:362–0
O'Reilly (Burns) – 10:153–0
Seguin (Spezza) (PP) – 17:284–0
Seguin (Couturier, Muzzin) – 23:235–0
Burns (O'Reilly, Eberle) (PP) – 31:086–0
Seguin (Hall) (PP) – 50:327–0
O'Reilly (Giroux, Savard) – 53:028–0
Spezza (Burns) – 55:199–0
6 minPenalties10 min
50Shots24

Sweden vs Russia

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After around 20 minutes the game looked already decided in favour of Russia, but the Swedish team fought back and tied it up with five minutes to go.[4] Only 26 seconds after the equalizer Evgeni Malkin scored the go-ahead goal for the Russians who advanced after scoring an empty netter late in the game.[5]

14 May 2015
19:15
Sweden  3–5
(0–2, 1–1, 2–2)
  RussiaČEZ Aréna, Ostrava
Attendance: 7,248
Game reference
Jhonas Enroth
Anders Nilsson
GoaliesSergei BobrovskyReferees:
  Tobias Wehrli
  Vladimír Šindler
Linesmen:
  Vit Lederer
  Paul Carnathan
0–110:51 – Mozyakin (Malkin, Tarasenko) (PP2)
0–216:01 – Shirokov (Tikhonov, Tarasenko)
0–320:48 – Malkin (Kulemin, Belov)
Klingberg (Lander) (PP) – 31:011–3
Lander (Ekman-Larsson, Klingberg) – 43:362–3
Eriksson (Lander, Ekholm) – 54:453–3
3–455:11 – Malkin (Mozyakin, Kulemin)
3–558:13 – Tarasenko (ENG)
16 minPenalties14 min
28Shots28

Finland vs Czech Republic

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The last quarterfinal of the day was the closest one as Finland and the Czech Republic matched up. The teams went toe to toe until it was 3–3 with 15 minutes to go. Jan Kovář and Jaromír Jágr became the heroes as both recorded three points to help the Czechs win the game 5–3.[6]

14 May 2015
20:15
Finland  3–5
(1–1, 1–2, 1–2)
  Czech RepublicO2 Arena, Prague
Attendance: 17,383
Game reference
Pekka RinneGoaliesOndřej PavelecReferees:
  Konstantin Olenin
  Roman Gofman
Linesmen:
  Gleb Lazarev
  Fraser McIntyre
0–108:56 – Kovář (Erat, Klepiš)
Ruutu (Kontiola, Lepistö) – 17:191–1
Jokinen (Lepistö, Donskoi) – 23:452–1
2–233:51 – Jágr (Voráček, Kovář) (PP)
2–335:28 – Kovář (Jágr, Voráček) (PP)
Barkov (Jokinen) – 44:243–3
3–455:30 – Jágr
3–559:37 – Sobotka (ENG)
10 minPenalties6 min
22Shots32

Semifinals

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Canada vs Czech Republic

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Canada continued their unbeaten run against the hosts, who added Tomáš Plekanec shortly before the game, in front of 17,383 people.[7] A goal from Taylor Hall after nearly nine minutes put Canada up 1–0 before Jason Spezza made it a two-goal lead midway through the game. The Czechs weren't able to squeeze a puck behind Mike Smith, who recorded his second straight shutout.[8]

16 May 2015
15:15
Canada  2–0
(1–0, 1–0, 0–0)
  Czech RepublicO2 Arena, Prague
Attendance: 17,383
Game reference
Mike SmithGoaliesOndřej PavelecReferees:
  Marcus Vinnerborg
  Vyacheslav Bulanov
Linesmen:
  Paul Carnathan
  Fraser McIntyre
Hall (Eberle, Crosby) – 08:401–0
Spezza (Duchene, Hamhuis) – 29:022–0
4 minPenalties4 min
41Shots23

United States vs Russia

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Russia got a boost before the game by adding Alexander Ovechkin to their roster. The game was scoreless through two periods before Sergei Mozyakin opened the scoring after 47 minutes.[9] Ovechkin recorded his first two points shortly after to help Russia beat the United States 4–0 after a third period burst.[10]

16 May 2015
19:15
United States  0–4
(0–0, 0–0, 0–4)
  RussiaO2 Arena, Prague
Attendance: 14,938
Game reference
Connor HellebuyckGoaliesSergei BobrovskyReferees:
  Tobias Wehrli
  Jyri Rönn
Linesmen:
  Jimmy Dahmen
  Bevan Mills
0–147:17 – Mozyakin (Bobrovsky)
0–250:19 – Ovechkin
0–355:28 – Shipachyov (Kulemin, Mozyakin)
0–458:35 – Malkin (Ovechkin) (ENG)
6 minPenalties4 min
35Shots30

Bronze medal game

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The US-team was able to grab the bronze medal despite being outshot 16 to 39 but were able to get a shutout. Two first period goals and the second goal by Charlie Coyle wrapped the 3–0 victory up.[11]

17 May 2015
16:15
United States  3–0
(2–0, 1–0, 0–0)
  Czech RepublicO2 Arena, Prague
Attendance: 15,007
Game reference
Connor HellebuyckGoaliesOndřej PavelecReferees:
  Marcus Vinnerborg
  Jyri Rönn
Linesmen:
  Jimmy Dahmen
  Gleb Lazarev
Bonino (Nelson, Coyle) – 07:251–0
Lewis (Eichel) – 18:132–0
Coyle (Bonino) – 39:103–0
12 minPenalties6 min
16Shots39

Gold medal game

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17 May 2015
20:45
Canada  6–1
(1–0, 3–0, 2–1)
  RussiaO2 Arena, Prague
Attendance: 17,383
Game reference
Mike SmithGoaliesSergei BobrovskyReferees:
  Tobias Wehrli
  Vladimír Šindler
Linesmen:
  Paul Carnathan
  Miroslav Lhotský
Eakin (Ennis, Muzzin) – 18:101–0
Ennis (Eakin, Couturier) – 21:562–0
Crosby (Eberle, Hamhuis) – 27:223–0
Seguin (Giroux, Barrie) – 28:064–0
Giroux (Crosby, O'Reilly) (PP) – 48:585–0
MacKinnon (Savard) – 49:506–0
6–152:47 – Malkin (Mozyakin, Kulikov)
4 minPenalties10 min
37Shots12

References

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  1. ^ "USA into semi final". iihfworlds2015.com. 14 May 2015.
  2. ^ "U.S. rides big second period to Worlds semifinals". nhl.com. 14 May 2015.
  3. ^ "Dominant Canada advances". iihfworlds2015.com. 14 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Russia moves to semi-finals". iihfworlds2015.com. 14 May 2015.
  5. ^ "Russia knocks off Sweden, will face U.S. Saturday in worlds semifinal". nbcsports.com. 14 May 2015.
  6. ^ "Jagr mania as Czechs advance". iihfworlds2015.com. 14 May 2015.
  7. ^ "Canada plays for gold". iihfworlds2015.com. 16 May 2015.
  8. ^ "Canada blanks Czech Republic, will play for gold". nhl.com. 16 May 2015.
  9. ^ "It's Canada-Russia for gold!". iihfworlds2015.com. 16 May 2015.
  10. ^ "Russia shuts out States, sets up Ovechkin vs. Crosby WHC Final". nbcsports.com. 16 May 2015.
  11. ^ "USA bringing bronze home". iihfworlds2015.com. 17 May 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
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