# 1969 Ice Hockey World Championships

The 1969 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 36th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships, which also doubled as the 47th European ice hockey championships. For the first time the Pool A, B and C tournaments were hosted by different nations:
    Pool A in Stockholm, Sweden, 15–30 March 1969
    Pool B in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia, 28 February – 9 March 1969
    Pool C in Skopje, Yugoslavia, 24 February – 2 March 1969
A total of 20 nations participated in the tournament. The Pool A team featured only the top six nations, now playing a double round-robin tournament for the amateur world championship. Teams #7-#14 contested the Pool B championship with the winner qualifying for the 1970 Pool A championship, while the bottom six participated in the Pool C tournament. Pool B and C began exchanging two teams this year (through promotion and relegation), a practice that lasted until 1987.

## World Championship Group A (Sweden)

For the seventh straight year, the Soviet Union won the Pool A tournament. Originally the tournament was scheduled to be held in Czechoslovakia, but due to the Soviet invasion of the country, they declined to host. In the two games the Czechoslovak and Soviet teams played against each other, the Czechoslovak team won both times, becoming the first team to beat the Soviet Union twice in the same international tournament. For the first time in international ice hockey, body-checking was allowed in all three zones of the ice. Team USA was demoted to Pool-B after losing all ten games.
| Pos. | Team | URS | SWE | TCH | CAN | FIN | USA | W | T | L | GF–GA | PTS |
| 1. | Soviet Union | *** | 4:2* | 0:2* | 7:1* | 6:1* | 17:2* | 8 | 0 | 2 | 59:23 | 16 |
| 2. | Sweden | 2:3 | *** | 2:0* | 5:1* | 6:3* | 8:2* | 8 | 0 | 2 | 45:19 | 16 |
| 3. | Czechoslovakia | 4:3 | 0:1 | *** | 6:1* | 7:4* | 8:3* | 8 | 0 | 2 | 40:20 | 16 |
| 4. | Canada | 2:4 | 2:4 | 2:3 | *** | 5:1* | 5:0* | 4 | 0 | 6 | 26:31 | 8 |
| 5. | Finland | 3:7 | 0:5 | 2:4 | 1:6 | *** | 4:3* | 2 | 0 | 8 | 26:52 | 4 |
| 6. | United States | 4:8 | 4:10 | 2:6 | 0:1 | 3:7 | *** | 0 | 0 | 10 | 23:74 | 0 |
| 47. | European Championship Rankings (URS-SWE-CSK-FIN games only) |
| 1. | Soviet Union |
| 2. | Sweden |
| 3. | Czechoslovakia |
| 4. | Finland |
Czechoslovakia – Canada 6:1 (1:0, 2:1, 3:0)
15. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorers: Suchý 2, Nedomanský, Jiří Holík, Ševčík, Horešovský – King. Referees: Wiking, Dahlberg (SWE)
Sweden – Finland 6:3 (3:1, 1:1, 2:1)
15. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorers: Lundström 2, Henriksson 2, Sterner, Nilsson - J. Peltonen, Keinonen, Isaksson.
Soviet Union – United States 17:2 (3:0, 11:0, 3:2)
15. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorers: Starshinov 4, Firsov 4, Mikhailov 3, Yurzinov 2, Paladiev, Maltsev, Petrov, Mishakov - Lackey 2.
Canada – Finland 5:1 (1:1, 1:0, 3:0)
16. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorers: Caffery 2, Pinder, Bourbonnais, Huck - Keinonen.
Sweden – Soviet Union 2:4 (2:1, 0:1, 0:2)
16. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorers: Nilsson, Johansson – Starshinov, Maltsev, Mikhailov, Kharlamov.
Czechoslovakia – United States 8:3 (2:1, 4:2, 2:0)
16. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorers: Nedomanský 2, Jar. Holík 2, Farda, Suchý, Hrbatý, Golonka – Lackey, Christiansen, Stordahl. Referees: Dahlberg (SWE), Vaillancourt (CAN)
Czechoslovakia – Finland 7:4 (4:1, 3:1, 0:2)
18. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Machač 3, Nedomanský 2, Suchý, Jiří Holík – Rantasila 2, Partinen, Mononen. Referees: Joyal, Villancourt (CAN)
Sweden – United States 8:2 (1:2, 3:0, 4:0)
18. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Sterner 2, Carlsson, Milton, Karlsson, Johansson, Lundström, Olsson - Markle, Pleau.
Soviet Union – Canada 7:1 (5:1, 2:0, 0:0)
18. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Vikulov 2, Firsov 2, Kharlamov 2, Yakushev - Pinder.
Soviet Union - Finland 6:1 (3:0, 1:0, 2:1)
19. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Petrov 2, Paladiev, Maltsev, Firsov, Kharlamov - Oksanen.
Czechoslovakia - Sweden 0:2 (0:1, 0:0, 0:1)
19. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Palmqvist, Nilsson. Referees: Trumble (USA), Joyal (CAN)
Canada – United States 5:0 (1:0, 0:0, 4:0)
20. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Hargreaves, Caffery, Bayes, King, Huck.
Sweden – Canada 5:1 (1:1, 3:0, 1:0)
21. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Lundström 2, Svedberg, Sjöberg, Johansson - Caffery.
Czechoslovakia - Soviet Union 2:0 (0:0, 1:0, 1:0)
21. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: 33. Suchý, 47. Černý. Referees: Dahlberg (SWE), Vaillancourt (CAN)
Finland – United States 4:3 (1:1, 1:0, 2:2)
22. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorers: E. Peltonen 2, Leimu, Wahlsten - Pleau, Mayasich, Sheehy.
United States – Soviet Union 4:8 (1:3, 1:2, 2:3)
23. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Mayasich 2, Skime, Naslund - Mishakov 2, Paladiev, Firsov, Mikhailov, Petrov, Kharlamov, Yurzinov.
Sweden – Finland 5:0 (2:0, 2:0, 1:0)
23. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorers: Karlsson 3, Sjöberg, Johansson.
Czechoslovakia - Canada 3:2 (1:1, 1:0, 1:1)
23. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Golonka, Hrbatý, Jar. Holík – Heindl, Bayes. Referees: Dahlberg (SWE), Trumble (USA)
Sweden – Soviet Union 2:3 (1:1, 1:1, 0:1)
24. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorers: Sjöberg, Nygren - Mikhailov 2, Petrov.
Czechoslovakia - Finland 4:2 (2:2, 1:0, 1:0)
25. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Jiřík 2, Jiří Holík, Nedomanský – Keinonen, Isaksson. Referees: Wiking (SWE), Trumble (USA)
United States - Canada 0:1 (0:1, 0:0, 0:0)
25. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorer: Mott.
Finland - Soviet Union 3:7 (0:1, 1:4, 2:2)
26. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Leimu, Isaksson, Oksanen – Paladiev, Zimin, Starshinov, Maltsev, Petrov, Firsov, Mishakov
Czechoslovakia - United States 6:2 (2:0, 2:1, 2:1)
26. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Nedomanský 2, Černý 2, Pospíšil, Machač – Pieau, Skime. Referees: Sillankorva (FIN), Vaillancourt (CAN)
Sweden – Canada 4:2 (1:0, 0:2, 3:0)
27. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Sterner 2, Johansson, Håkan Nygren – Pinder, Heindl.
Czechoslovakia - Soviet Union 4:3 (2:0, 0:2, 2:1)
28. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: 15. Jiří Holík, 20. Nedomanský, 49. Horešovský, 51. Jar. Holík – 22. Kharlamov, 33. Firsov, 58. Ragulin. Referees: Dahlberg (SWE), Vaillancourt (CAN)
Finland – Canada 1:6 (0:3, 1:2, 0:1)
29. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorers: Mononen - King, Stephanson, Heindl, Begg, Mott, Huck.
Sweden – United States 10:4 (6:2, 1:1, 3:1)
29. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorers: Milton 3, Nilsson 3, Karlsson, Johansson, Nygren, Olsson - Lackey, Pleau, Stordahl, Gambucci.
United States – Finland 3:7 (1:1, 0:5, 2:1)
30. March 1969 - Stockholm Goalscorers: Pleau, Stordahl, Christiansen - Rantasila 2, J. Peltonen 2, Leimu, Harju, E. Peltonen.
Czechoslovakia – Sweden 0:1 (0:1, 0:0, 0:0)
30. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorer: 18. Olsson. Referees: Trumble (USA), Vaillancourt (CAN)
Canada – Soviet Union 2:4 (1:1, 0:1, 1:2)
30. March 1969 – Stockholm Goalscorers: Demarco, Heindl - Mikhailov 2, Romishevsky, Maltsev.

## Pool A Statistics and team rosters

| | LEADING SCORERS | Goals | Assists | Points |
| 1. | Anatoli Firsov | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| 2. | Boris Mikhailov | 9 | 5 | 14 |
| 2. | Ulf Sterner | 9 | 5 | 14 |
| 4. | Jaroslav Holík | 4 | 10 | 14 |
| 5. | Valeri Kharlamov | 6 | 7 | 13 |
1. Soviet Union Goaltenders: Viktor Zinger, Viktor Puchkov. Defencemen: Vitali Davydov, Igor Romishevsky, Alexander Ragulin, Vladimir Lutchenko, Yevgeni Paladiev, Viktor Kuzkin. Forwards: Vladimir Vikulov, Alexander Maltsev, Anatoli Firsov, Boris Mikhailov, Vladimir Petrov, Valeri Kharlamov, Yevgeni Zimin, Viacheslav Starshinov, Alexander Yakushev, Yevgeni Mishakov, Vladimir Yurzinov. Coaches: Arkady Chernyshev, Anatoli Tarasov.
2. Sweden Goaltenders: Leif Holmqvist, Gunnar Bäckman. Defencemen: Lennart Svedberg, Arne Carlsson, Bert-Ola Nordlander, Lars-Erik Sjöberg, Nils Johansson, Kjell-Rune Milton. Forwards: Stig-Göran Johansson, Stefan Karlsson, Tord Lundström, Ulf Sterner, Lars-Göran Nilsson, Björn Palmqvist, Håkan Nygren, Mats Hysing, Dick Yderström, Roger Olsson, Leif Henriksson. Coach: Arne Strömberg.
3. Czechoslovakia Goaltenders: Vladimír Dzurilla, Miroslav Lacký. Defencemen: Jan Suchý, Josef Horešovský, Oldřich Machač, František Pospíšil, Vladimír Bednář. Forwards: František Ševčík, Jozef Golonka, Jaroslav Jiřík, Jan Hrbatý, Jaroslav Holík, Jiří Holík, Richard Farda, Václav Nedomanský, Josef Černý, Jan Klapáč, Jan Havel, Josef Augusta. Coaches: Jaroslav Pitner, Vladimír Kostka.
4. Canada Goaltenders: Wayne Stephenson, Ken Dryden, Steve Rexe. Defencemen: Gary Begg, Terry O'Malley, Ken Stephanson, Jack Bownass, Bob Murdoch, Ab DeMarco, Jr. Forwards: Gerry Pinder, Fran Huck, Morris Mott, Richie Bayes, Terry Caffery, Steve King, Chuck Lefley, Roger Bourbonnais, Ted Hargreaves, Bill Heindl, Danny O'Shea Coach: Jackie McLeod.
5. Finland Goaltenders: Urpo Ylönen, Lasse Kiili. Defencemen: Seppo Lindström, Lalli Partinen, Juha Rantasila, Ilpo Koskela, Pekka Marjamäki. Forwards: Lasse Oksanen, Juhani Wahlsten, Matti Keinonen, Esa Peltonen, Jorma Peltonen, Pekka Leimu, Lauri Mononen, Esa Isaksson, Juhani Jylhä, Veli-Pekka Ketola, Matti Harju, Kari Johansson. Coaches: Gustav Bubnik and Seppo Liitsola.
6. United States Goaltenders: Mike Curran, John Lothrop. Defencemen: Bruce Riutta, Carl Lackey, Jim Branch, Bob Paradise, John Mayasich. Forwards: Ron Nasland, Paul Coppo, Larry Pleau, Larry Stordahl, Bill Reichert, Gary Gambucci, Tim Sheehy, Keith Christiansen, Pete Markle, Jerry Lackey, Larry Skime. Coach: John Mayasich (player-coach).

## World Championship Group B (Yugoslavia)

| | | GDR | POL | YUG | GER | NOR | ROM | AUT | ITA | W | T | L | GF–GA | PTS |
| 7. | East Germany | *** | 4:1 | 6:1 | 6:1 | 13:4 | 11:2 | 11:3 | 11:1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 62:13 | 14 |
| 8. | Poland | 1:4 | *** | 4:1 | 3:2 | 5:1 | 4:2 | 9:1 | 5:2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 31:13 | 12 |
| 9. | Yugoslavia | 1:6 | 1:4 | *** | 4:1 | 3:3 | 4:4 | 2:1 | 2:1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 17:20 | 8 |
| 10. | West Germany | 1:6 | 2:3 | 1:4 | *** | 5:0 | 6:2 | 8:0 | 5:1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 28:16 | 8 |
| 11. | Norway | 4:13 | 1:5 | 3:3 | 0:5 | *** | 5:4 | 3:3 | 10:2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 26:35 | 6 |
| 12. | Romania | 2:11 | 2:4 | 4:4 | 2:6 | 4:5 | *** | 5:4 | 5:2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 24:36 | 5 |
| 13. | Austria | 3:11 | 1:9 | 1:2 | 0:8 | 3:3 | 4:5 | *** | 3:1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 15:39 | 3 |
| 14. | Italy | 1:11 | 2:5 | 1:2 | 1:5 | 2:10 | 2:5 | 1:3 | *** | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10:41 | 0 |
* East Germany was promoted to the 1970 Pool A tournament while Austria and Italy were demoted to Pool C. Later, when Canada withdrew from international play, second place Poland was also promoted to fill their spot.
Poland – Romania 4:2 (0:1, 2:0, 2:1)
28. February 1969 – Ljubljana
East Germany – Italy 11:1 (2:0, 4:1, 5:0)
28. February 1969 – Ljubljana
Norway – Austria 3:3 (2:0, 1:2, 0:1)
28. February 1969 – Ljubljana
Yugoslavia – West Germany 4:1 (1:1, 2:0, 1:0)
28. February 1969 – Ljubljana
East Germany – Norway 13:4 (4:1, 5:0, 4:3)
1. March 1969 – Ljubljana
West Germany – Romania 6:2 (2:2, 2:0, 2:0)
1. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Yugoslavia – Italy 2:1 (0:0, 2:0, 0:1)
2. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Poland – Austria 9:1 (2:0, 3:0, 4:1)
2. March 1969 – Ljubljana
East Germany – Romania 11:2 (2:1, 4:1, 5:0)
3. March 1969 – Ljubljana
West Germany – Norway 5:0 (0:0, 1:0, 4:0)
3. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Poland – Italy 5:2 (0:0, 2:1, 3:1)
3. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Yugoslavia – Austria 2:1 (0:0, 1:0, 1:1)
3. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Norway – Romania 5:4 (2:1, 3:1, 0:2)
4. March 1969 – Ljubljana
West Germany – East Germany 1:6 (0:1, 1:0, 0:5)
4. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Austria – Italy 3:1 (0:0, 2:0, 1:1)
5. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Yugoslavia – Poland 1:4 (1:2, 0:0, 0:2)
5. March 1969 – Ljubljana
East Germany – Austria 11:3 (1:1, 7:1, 3:1)
6. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Poland – Norway 5:1 (4:0, 1:1, 0:0)
6. March 1969 – Ljubljana
West Germany – Italy 5:1 (2:0, 1:1, 2:0)
6. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Yugoslavia – Romania 4:4 (0:1, 3:3, 1:0)
6. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Yugoslavia – Norway 3:3 (0:2, 2:0, 1:1)
8. March 1969 – Ljubljana
West Germany – Austria 8:0 (2:0, 2:0, 4:0)
8. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Romania – Italy 5:2 (0:1, 0:0, 5:1)
8. March 1969 – Ljubljana
East Germany – Poland 4:1 (2:1, 1:0, 1:0)
8. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Norway – Italy 10:2 (6:0, 3:2, 1:0)
9. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Poland – West Germany 3:2 (1:0, 1:1, 1:1)
9. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Romania – Austria 5:4 (0:1, 2:3, 3:0)
9. March 1969 – Ljubljana
Yugoslavia – East Germany 1:6 (0:1, 0:4, 1:1)
9. March 1969 – Ljubljana

## World Championship Group C (Yugoslavia)

| | | JPN | SUI | HUN | NED | BUL | DEN | W | T | L | GF–GA | PTS |
| 15. | Japan | *** | 5:2 | 6:3 | 11:0 | 3:4 | 11:1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 36:10 | 8 |
| 16. | Switzerland | 2:5 | *** | 11:1 | 8:0 | 11:1 | 9:0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 41:9 | 8 |
| 17. | Hungary | 3:6 | 1:11 | *** | 13:1 | 5:3 | 4:1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 26:22 | 6 |
| 18. | Netherlands | 0:11 | 0:8 | 1:13 | *** | 7:5 | 4:3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 12:40 | 4 |
| 19. | Bulgaria | 4:3 | 3:11 | 3:5 | 5:7 | *** | 4:2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 19:28 | 4 |
| 20. | Denmark | 1:11 | 0:9 | 1:4 | 3:4 | 2:4 | *** | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7:32 | 0 |
* Japan, and Switzerland were promoted to the 1970 Pool B tournament. Later Bulgaria was elevated as well to fill the vacancy left by Poland.
Japan – Bulgaria 3:4 (0:0, 2:2, 1:2)
24. February 1969 – Skopje
Switzerland – Hungary 11:1 (3:0, 4:0, 4:1)
24. February 1969 – Skopje
Netherlands – Denmark 4:3 (2:0, 0:2, 2:1)
24. February 1969 – Skopje
Switzerland – Netherlands 8:0 (2:0, 3:0, 3:0)
25. February 1969 – Skopje
Hungary – Bulgaria 5:3 (2:1, 2:2, 1:0)
26. February 1969 – Skopje
Japan – Denmark 11:1 (1:1, 5:0, 5:0)
26. February 1969 – Skopje
Netherlands – Bulgaria 7:5 (2:2, 4:1, 1:2)
27. February 1969 – Skopje
Japan – Hungary 6:3 (0:1, 4:1, 2:1)
27. February 1969 – Skopje
Switzerland – Denmark 9:0 (3:0, 5:0, 1:0)
27. February 1969 – Skopje
Japan – Netherlands 11:0 (5:0, 4:0, 2:0)
28. February 1969 – Skopje
Hungary – Denmark 4:1 (1:0, 1:1, 2:0)
1. March 1969 – Skopje
Switzerland – Bulgaria 11:3 (5:0, 3:3, 3:0)
1. March 1969 – Skopje
Bulgaria – Denmark 4:2 (1:1, 3:1, 0:0)
2. March 1969 – Skopje
Hungary – Netherlands 13:1 (5:0, 3:0, 5:1)
2. March 1969 – Skopje
Japan – Switzerland 5:2 (3:0, 1:2, 1:0)
2. March 1969 – Skopje

## Ranking and statistics

* 1969 IIHF World Championship winners
* Soviet Union 9th title

### Tournament Awards

* Best players selected by the directorate:
** Best Goaltender: Leif Holmqvist
** Best Defenceman: Jan Suchý
** Best Forward: Ulf Sterner
* Media All-Star Team:
** Goaltender: Vladimír Dzurilla
** Defence: Jan Suchý, Lennart Svedberg
** Forwards: Anatoli Firsov, Václav Nedomanský, Ulf Sterner

### Final standings

The final standings of the tournament according to IIHF:
| | Soviet Union |
| | Sweden |
| | Czechoslovakia |
| 4 | Canada |
| 5 | Finland |
| 6 | United States |

### European championships final standings

The final standings of the European championships according to IIHF:
| | Soviet Union |
| | Sweden |
| | Czechoslovakia |
| 4 | Finland |