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Champs earn decisive win Five different goal scorers carry Canada to win Canada's Taylor Hall #4 celebrates with Ben Hutton #10, Michael Matheson #7 and Derick Brassard #19 after scoring Team Canada's first goal of the game during preliminary round action at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey Championship. North American rivals Canada and the United States faced off in the opening tilt here at the 2016 World Championships. Canada came back from an early deficit in the first period to score five unanswered goals en route to a 5-1 victory at the 2016 IIHF World Championships. Canada has now won its last eleven world championship contests going back to last years tournament when they ran the table and went undefeated in earning gold. A first period goal by Brendan Gallagher gave Canada a lead they would not relinquish. Cam Talbot turned aside 24 shots for the win. "We’ve got to fix some things in the defensive zone." USA Captain Matt Hendricks said. "Our structure broke down too many times tonight and gave them too many opportunities. A team with that type of high-end skill, they’re going to find the back of the net." The Americans came out determined to make their mark. When Brody Jenner was called for a high stick at 3:40, it allowed for the first power play of the game. Team USA moved the puck well and some shots found their way to the net. At 4:54 Patrick Maroon found the back of the net with a solid effort. Maroon took a pass from Kyle Connor near the side of the net then made a move in front for a high percentage shot. Talbot was able to get his pads on it but Maroon calmly found the rebound in traffic, took control of the puck and went backhand to score on his Edmonton Oilers teammate. Connor and David Warsofsky assisted on the power play goal. Not to be outdone, Canada bounced back quickly some thirty-one seconds later. Keith Kinkaid could not react fast enough to a Taylor Hall shot and the game was tied. Corey Perry was able to force Noah Hanifan to turn over the puck. Derick Brassard took over from there finding Hall who shot the puck under the goalie’s left pad at 5:25. Hall picked up where he left off last spring when he scored seven World Championship goals and finished as the third leading goal scorer in the tournament. Canada took the lead at 8:48 with Gallagher’s goal. Gallagher gained possession of the puck deep in the USA zone then shuffled a pass on to Ryan O’Reilly. O’Reilly sent it back to Gallagher who rifled a shot over Kinkaid’s left shoulder. It was his first of the tournament and scored on his birthday. "It was nice." Gallagher said of scoring on the day of his birth. "It’s actually my little sister’s birthday as well. I texted her and told her I’d get her one, so that’s nice." Canada outshot Team USA 16-8 in the period with Hall and Gallagher notching three apiece. Matt Duchene widened the lead at 11:37 of the second period. A rocket from the faceoff circle extended Canada’s lead to two goals. Duchene accepted a pass from Cody Ceci and showed plenty of patience in taking his time to shoot. Once Canada found a groove in this game, they really got things rolling. The Americans created their chances but were not able to solve Talbot beyond the first period. "The guys are getting along great." Gallagher said of the effort. "We’re becoming a team as we go along. It was a good start for us. Hopefully as the tournament goes on, we’ll get better and better." Boone Jenner added a third period tally for good measure. Similar to the goal scored by Hall in the first, Jenner sent a shot in at a sharp angle past Kinkaid’s left pad and skate. With this battle of North America behind both teams, they now focus on European competition in their quest to advance in this tournament. The US must shake this off and come back tomorrow to play Belarus. "There’s a lot of hockey ahead," Hendricks said. "Fortunately, we get to play again tomorrow. It’ll be good to go home, get some good food, get some good rest and be ready to go."

United States - Canada 1-5

Updated as of May 6th, 2016

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Final Results A Sweden - Latvia 2-1 after OT (1-0, 0-0, 0-1, OT: 1-0) 02:52 Jimmie ERICSSON 1-0 52:29 Kristaps SOTNIEKS 1-1 64:06 (OT) Gustav NYQVIST 2-1 B United States - Canada 1-5 (1-2, 0-1, 0-2) 04:54 Patrick MAROON 1-0 05:25 Taylor HALL 1-1 08:48 Brendan GALLAGHER 1-2 31:37 Matt DUCHENE 1-3 45:54 Boone JENNER 1-4 51:16 Brad MARCHAND 1-5

wow, very unexpected point for Latvia

nice

what you predicted for SWE-LAT ?

Scores after 2nd period A Sweden - Latvia 1-0 (1-0, 0-0, -) 02:52 Jimmie ERICSSON 1-0 B United States - Canada 1-3 (1-2, 0-1, -) 04:54 Patrick MAROON 1-0 05:25 Taylor HALL 1-1 08:48 Brendan GALLAGHER 1-2 31:37 Matt DUCHENE 1-3

well, this is the top division, the huge score differences aren´t so usual last couple of years. the years when we had high scores are definitely gone also keep in mind that´s the first opener matches, all the so-called "small teams" or underdogs are full of strength and motivations. it´s very usual to see some upsets during the first days and very close results.

Scores after 1st period A Sweden - Latvia 1-0 (1-0, -, -) 02:52 Jimmie ERICSSON 1-0 B United States - Canada 1-2 (1-2, -, -) 04:54 Patrick MAROON 1-0 05:25 Taylor HALL 1-1 08:48 Brendan GALLAGHER 1-2

wow Dominika won the first set ! strange ... first time this tournament

TEAM PRESENTATIONS Sweden Home Away Tre Kronor looks for more No reason medal haul won’t continue A medal weekend without Sweden seems odd, but after last year’s poor showing Tre Kronor will push to be back in the medal hunt again. When Sweden lost to Russia, 5-3, in last year’s quarter-finals, it was shocking. Not because one great hockey country defeated another, but because with the loss Sweden finished in fourth place. Indeed, no country has had the consistent and high-level of success in the last half century at the World Championships than the mighty Tre Kronor. Since winning silver in 1967, it has finished off the podium 12 times but has won an incredible 33 medals. Since the playoff format was introduced to the World Championship in 1992, the Swedes have played for a medal every year but four. Why should this year be any different? Goal Jakob Markstrom is pretty much the de facto starter for Sweden. Having played with the Vancouver Canucks this year, the 26-year-old has the most experience of the three goaltenders. He also has a nice little undefeated streak of eight games in WM play (5-0-1) going back to 2010. Behind him are Joel Lassinantti (who played at the 2013 U20 for Sweden) and unheralded Viktor Fasth, who played in the KHL this year after three less-than-sparkling seasons in the NHL. Defence Although only 23 years old, Adam Larsson has just completed his fifth season with the New Jersey Devils. And although he is making his senior debut in Russia, he has plenty of junior experience with his country and will be relied upon to be the stud of the defence. The 31-year-old Johan Fransson, now playing in Switzerland, will be another key element, while newcomers include untested Oscar Fantenberg and Anton Lindholm. Forward No, the Sedins aren’t here, likely saving themselves for the World Cup in September, and that leaves a hole in the team’s offence and its ability to put the puck in the net. Mikael Backlund is playing in his fourth Worlds (2010, 2011, 2014), having won a medal in each of the previous three (two bronze and a silver). Jimmie Ericsson, not a pure scorer by any means, is a veteran at 36 and playing in his sixth WM. Linus Klasen had nine points in ten games two years ago and Gustav Nyquist had four goals in 2014. Linus Omark is playing for the first time since 2010 but should provide a little bit of scoring, but the team has many new faces who have never played for Tre Kronor before or are playing at the senior level for the first time. Patrick Cehlin, Martin Lundberg, Lucas Wallmark, Johan Sundstrom, and Alexander Wennberg have only U20 and U18 experience while John Norman, Mattias Ritola, and Robert Rosen are new to the yellow and blue three crowns sweater altogether. Coaching Par Marts is that comforting, typically Swedish presence. If he’s behind the bench, all is good. The head coach since 2011, he has a gold, two silver, and bronze on the mantlepiece at home, and his tactical style is adaptable to any and all who come to the team in the same way the Czech style was accessible to its players in the late 20th century and early 21st century. There will be no surprises with Marts, and that’s okay. Projected Results Consistency, thy name is Sweden. To have Tre Kronor not qualify for the semi-finals would be only because of a blip or two during the preliminary round in which they’d draw a top team in the quarter-finals, as they did last year. A safe assumption is that that won’t happen in consecutive seasons, so look for Sweden to earn a medal of some colour.

TEAM PRESENTATIONS Latvia Home Away New look for Latvia Veteran coach remodels the roster Leonids Berenevs returns to the helm for the Baltic nation and goes for a young roster as Latvia prepares for its 20th consecutive campaign among the elite. Latvia’s progress towards the 2016 World Championship has been bumpier than usual. A long delay in choosing a head coach and a row between senior players and the national federation has dogged the team’s preparations. Now veteran Leonids Beresnevs is back behind the bench for his third spell at the helm of the Baltic nation’s roster and he’s putting together a young team that aims to make a transition from one generation to the next. Can Latvia achieve this while preserving its proud record of unbroken top division hockey since 1997? Goal Latvia’s top goaltending prospect, Kristers Gudlevskis, has seen his progress stall within the Tampa Bay organization and the star of the Sochi Olympics isn’t involved here. That means Edgars Masalskis is once again in line to stand between the piping for his country. He has a wealth of experience in World Championships after first making the roster back in 2001, but his season with Lada Togliatti in the KHL wasn’t his best and his sole international appearance of the year ended with four goals against and a save percentage of just 81%. He is joined by Elvis Merzlikins of HC Lugano, a 22-year-old getting his first Worlds call, and Janis Kalnins, who was the unused third-choice goalie last year and played in Hungary. Defence Ralfs Freibergs gets a shot at redemption after completing the two-year ban handed to him following a failed drug test in Sochi. Moscow will be his first international action since then and the 24-year-old arrives on the back of a productive ECHL campaign with Toledo Walleye. But Oskars Bartulis is out following his role in the conflict that flared during the season when several players criticized the efforts of the country’s hockey federation. Experienced Dinamo Riga trio Guntis Galvins, Oskars Cibulskis and Kristaps Sotnieks add some heft to a blue line that also introduces some novices. Kristians Rubins, 18, makes his senior international debut here. Unusually for a Latvian player, he’s spent most of his career thus far in Sweden with Vasteras. Edgars Siksna, 23, is another World Championship rookie, getting the call after helping Saryarka Karaganda to the semi-final of the Russian VHL. Forwards Zemgus Girgensons, Latvia’s most prominent active NHLer, is the man on whom most hopes rest – and arguably the Buffalo Sabres man is more important than ever given the absence of the injured Martins Karsums and the unavailable Lauris Darzins and Janis Sprukts. Darzins stepped down for family reasons, while Sprukts was another of the players involved in criticisms of the Latvian Hockey Federation. Team captain Kaspars Daugavins was also critical of the set-up around the national camp but has since apologised and is back on the roster. He performed strongly in Prague last year and is coming off the back of a good season at Torpedo Nizhni Novgorod after he left Dynamo Moscow a few weeks into the KHL campaign. Elsewhere there’s a strong Dinamo Riga contingent among the forwards: Maris Bicevskis, Andris Dzerins, Miks Indrasis, Gints Meija, Vitalijs Pavlovs, Mikelis Redlihs and Gunars Skvorcovs all ply their trade in the capital, as do rookies Maris Bicevskis and Edgars Kulda. Rodrigo Abols could be an intriguing prospect: the 20-year-old is back for his second World Championship after a season in the WHL with Portland Winterhawks where he scored 20+29=49 in 62 games. Coaching Leonids Beresnevs was the coach who took Latvia into the top division back in the 1990s. He then returned for the 2005 Worlds and 2006 Olympics and got the nod once again after the resignation of Alexander Beliavski. He’s already enjoyed World Championship success this season, leading Latvia’s U20 squad to promotion, and his prior experience of the country’s junior programs has clearly shaped his youthful roster here. After securing Latvia’s place among the elite in 1996, he’ll be determined to ensure that this year’s 20th consecutive tournament at the highest level ends with the country’s status secured for another year. Projected results A revitalized squad should bring plenty of energy and enthusiasm to Moscow and that could be crucial in the battles with Kazakhstan, Denmark and Norway. Like each of those nations, Latvia will look first and foremost to preserve its top-flight status, then hope for a chance to compete for a place in the quarter finals. However, with Sweden, Czech Republic and Russia coming up in the first three games, there’s a real danger that the team could be 0-3 and under pressure before it gets into its key encounters. That’s where Beresnevs’ experience in handling young players will be crucial to keep the team confident and competitive throughout the competition.

Thanks. and please guys, when you announce and post here the flag bearers, please add also the source, otherwise we will not mark them on the list. Thanks,

SCHEDULE DAY 1 Friday, May 6th, 2016 16:15 (GMT +3) PRELIMINARY ROUND - GROUP A Sweden vs Latvia Referees: Stefan FONSELIUS (FIN), Maxim SIDORENKO (BLR) Linesmens: Fraser McINTYRE (USA), Alexander OTMAKHOV (RUS) Line Ups Link, Ice Palace, Moscow 16:15 (GMT +3) PRELIMINARY ROUND - GROUP B United States vs Canada Referees: Tobias BJORK (SWE), Marc WIEGAND (SUI) Linesmens: Gleb LAZAREV (RUS), Miroslav LHOTSKÝ (CZE) Line Ups Link, Yubileiny, St. Petersburg 20:15 (GMT +3) PRELIMINARY ROUND - GROUP A Czech Republic vs Russia Referees: Daniel PIECHACZEK (GER), Tobias WEHRLI (SUI) Linesmens: Pasi NIEMINEN (FIN), Henrik PIHLBLAD (SWE) Line Ups Link, Ice Palace, Moscow 20:15 (GMT +3) PRELIMINARY ROUND - GROUP B Finland vs Belarus Referees: Martin FRANO (CZE), Peter GEBEI (HUN) Linesmens: Nicolas FLURI (SUI), Andreas MALMQVIST (SWE) Line Ups Link, Yubileiny, St. Petersburg * The streams will be geo-blocked in some countries. ** Referees and Line-Ups will be announced usually 3-4 hours before the first match, will be added in the schedule later.

TEAM PRESENTATIONS United States Home Away USA medal hunting in Russia Auston, Americans focus on experience With a squad possessing youth and energy, USA Hockey delivers a team with the opportunity to surprise and compete for another medal. When the Americans won bronze in the Czech Republic at the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, it was their second bronze in the last three years. Team USA will once again employ its time-tested formula of carrying eager and talented youngsters, experienced veterans and relying on hot goaltending to make it to the playoff round for a shot at a medal. USA will pin its hopes on chemistry and a singular team focus on head coach John Hynes’ system. Goal Mike Condon took over for an injured Carey Price in net for the Montreal Canadiens and performed admirably. He participated in 55 games as a rookie, which was the most since Ken Dryden’s first season with the club. Keith Kincaid played in 23 games for the New Jersey Devils in 2015-16, backing up Cory Schneider. One of his season highlights include a career high 39 save performance in a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Recently signed Vancouver Canucks prospect Thatcher Demko is the third goaltender. Demko, who starred for Boston College, is seen as a possible future franchise goaltender for the Canucks. Defence Noah Hanifin was one of the youngest players in the NHL at 18. The Boston native played in 80 games for the Carolina Hurricanes and registered 22 points. Jake McCabe and Chris Wideman also earned full time status in the NHL this season with Buffalo and Ottawa respectively. Conor Murphy, son of former NHL player Gord Murphy, is making his second consecutive appearance with the national team. He played for USA at the 2015 World Championships in the Czech Republic. Despite being eliminated from the NHL playoffs, the Rangers caught a glimpse of their blue line future in Brady Skjei. Skjei played so well in the Rangers five game playoff elimination to the Pittsburgh Penguins that he was given additional responsibilities and playing time. He moves the puck well and is an exceptional skater. He will have the chance to build on that here in Russia. Forward Team USA will be without Jack Eichel who decided not to play for the Americans in this tournament. Auston Matthews is the player to watch. In this his draft year, scouts from those NHL teams in the lottery for the first overall pick will undoubtedly be on hand to watch him play. The 18-year-old prospect spent the 2015-16 season playing for the ZSC Lions Zurich in the Swiss League and finished second in scoring. Kyle Connor, J.T. Compher and Tyler Motte formed the CCM line for the University of Michigan and are likely to do the same for Team USA. The college trio is expected to play as a unit and the American side will hope to capitalize on their season long chemistry. Recent additions include Luke Glendening and Miles Wood, son of former Buffalo Sabres forward Randy Wood. Columbus Blue Jackets captain, Foligno slumped to 12 goals this season after scoring 31 in the 2014-15 season. In his breakout season he was named an NHL All Star Game team captain. Coaching John Hynes, long-time USA Hockey coach, will lead the team. Hynes spent six years as head coach of the much-heralded USA National Team Development Program. Previously, he’s coached USA U18 World Championship teams to gold, silver and bronze and was an assistant coach on the 2004 U20 team that won gold. Hynes will be assisted by Todd Richards, whose experience will be a good complement at this level. Richards was head coach of last year’s USA bronze medal winning entry in this tournament. David Quinn, head coach of Boston University, will round out the staff. Projected Results Team USA has an intriguing mix of young players with upside and skill sets that will be fun to watch here. Their opening game against Canada will be an important immediate test coming in and how they respond in that game and after – win or lose – will establish their fortunes in this tournament.

TEAM PRESENTATIONS Slovakia Home Away Slovaks settle on Ciger Can new coach restore Slovak hockey pride? Sixteen years ago, Slovakia showed they are among the hockey elite at the IIHF World Championship. Despite losing to the Czech Republic in the gold medal final here in St. Petersburg, Slovakia would come back to win their first gold medal in 2002 and then add a bronze in 2003. Since that time, Slovakia has won only a silver at the 2012 World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. Goal Slovakia faces a bit of a dilemma in goal. Peter Budaj, current AHL goaltender of the year, is the starting for the Ontario Reign. Ontario is now battling the San Diego Gulls in the Calder Cup Pacific Division finals. There is the chance Budaj will not be able to join Slovakia if the Reign keep winning. Of the three possible goaltenders for Slovakia, only one has seen World Championships time on ice. Julius Hudacek started for Orebro HK in 2015-16, playing in 42 games, winning 23 of them. He played in two games last spring for the Slovaks. Branislav Konrad enjoyed a fine season with Olomouc, posting a 1.81 goals against average and six shutouts. Twenty-two year old Samuel Baros handled the bulk of goaltending duties for HKm Zvolen. Defence NHLers Andrej Sekera and Martin Marincin join Team Slovakia. Marincin, a former Edmonton Oilers prospect, found a home with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. Sekera has established himself as a top four quality defenseman. He led all Edmonton defensemen in scoring with 30 points. Andrej Meszaros has represented Slovakia three times prior at the World Championships. In the Czech Republic last year, he enjoyed his best tournament production with three goals. After dealing with injuries, including a severe back problem, Dominik Granak returned to the fold in 2015. Not only was Granak a steady, though understated, member of the blueline corps, he led the team in plus minus. Longtime Slovan Bratislava defenseman Michal Sersen marks his fifth appearance for the national team. Forward Almost a third of the forward roster is comprised of Slovan Bratislava players. Patrik Lusnak, Pavol Skalicky, Andrej Stastny and Marek Viedensky all suit up for the Slovakian team that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. Libor Hudacek, the brother of goaltender Julius, has been a consistent performer over the last three tournaments. Vladimir Dravecky was the second leading scorer behind Marian Gaborik in Ostrava. If Dravecky could replicate that performance it would be a big boost for the Slovakian offense. Only two NHL players are on the team. Marko Dano and Tomas Jurco are here. Despite the Chicago Blackhawks being eliminated from the playoffs Marian Hossa and Richard Panik are not playing for this team. Their services could have made a big difference but you have to work with what you've got. Coaching Former NHLer Zdeno Ciger takes over for Vladimir Vujtek, who coached the team since 2012. Ciger played nine years in the NHL that included stops in New Jersey, Edmonton, New York and Tampa Bay. Ciger enjoyed his best season as a player in 1995-96 when he scored 31 goals and 70 points for the Oilers. Ciger has been an assistant coach at international tournaments, now the job of running the bench is his and his alone. He was an assistant coach at the 2005 and 2007 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships and the 2006 Winter Olympics. He also was the Slovak team leader for the U20 national team won a bronze-medal at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship. Ciger is also the first Slovakian head coach since Jan Filc held the job in 2010. Projected Results In 2000, Slovakia revealed itself as an international hockey elite and won a silver, gold and bronze in three of the first four tournaments of the new century. Always a dangerous team to take on, Slovakia is missing some of the luster that made them a team to watch at the start of the 21st century and, in some cases, fear. But still a dangerous out. If they qualify for the playoff round, Slovakia is not a team to take lightly.

[hide] Preliminary Round May 6th-March 17th, 2016 16 Nations, 2 Groups, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Nation from each Group will qualify for Quarterfinals, 8th Nations from each groups will be relegated to IIHF Men´s Division I Group A World Championships 2017. Group A Date and Venue Team 1 T1 T2 Team 2 May 6th 2016, h. 16:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Sweden 3 Latvia May 6th 2016, h. 20:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Czech Republic 2 Russia May 7h 2016, h. 12:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Switzerland 2 Kazakhstan May 7th 2016, h. 16:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Norway 1 Denmark May 7th 2016, h. 20:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Latvia 2 Czech Republic May 8th 2016, h. 12:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Kazakhstan 4 Russia May 8th 2016, h. 16:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Norway 2 Switzerland May 8th 2016, h. 20:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Sweden 4 Denmark May 9th 2016, h. 16:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Latvia 3 Russia May 9th 2016, h. 20:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Sweden 3 Czech Republic May 10th 2016, h. 16:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Switzerland 1 Denmark May 10th 2016, h. 20:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Kazakhstan 2 Norway May 11th 2016, h. 16:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Switzerland 2 Latvia May 11th 2016, h. 20:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Sweden 4 Kazakhstan May 12th 2016, h. 16:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Czech Republic 2 Norway May 12th 2016, h. 20:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Russia 3 Denmark May 13th 2016, h. 16:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Czech Republic 3 Kazakhstan May 13th 2016, h. 20:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Denmark 2 Latvia May 14th 2016, h. 12:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Norway 3 Sweden May 14th 2016, h. 16:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Russia 3 Switzerland May 14th 2016, h. 20:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Kazakhstan 2 Latvia May 15th 2016, h. 16:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Denmark 2 Czech Republic May 15th 2016, h. 20:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Switzerland 2 Sweden May 16th 2016, h. 16:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Russia 3 Norway May 16th 2016, h. 20:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Denmark 2 Kazakhstan May 17th 2016, h. 12:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Czech Republic 1 Switzerland May 17th 2016, h. 16:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Latvia 2 Norway May 17th 2016, h. 20:15, VTB Ice Palace, Moscow Russia 1 Sweden Group B Date and Venue Team 1 T1 T2 Team 2 May 6th 2016, h. 16:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg United States 2 Canada May 6th 2016, h. 20:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Finland 3 Belarus May 7th 2016, h. 12:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Slovakia 2 Hungary May 7th 2016, h. 16:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg France 1 Germany May 7th 2016, h. 20:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Belarus 2 United States May 8th 2016, h. 12:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Hungary 5 Canada May 8th 2016, h. 16:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Finland 3 Germany May 8th 2016, h. 20:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg France 2 Slovakia May 9th 2016, h. 16:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Belarus 3 Canada May 9th 2016, h. 20:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Finland 2 United States May 10th 2016, h. 16:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Slovakia 1 Germany May 10th 2016, h. 20:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Hungary 1 France May 11th 2016, h. 16:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Slovakia 1 Belarus May 11th 2016, h. 20:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Finland 4 Hungary May 12th 2016, h. 16:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg United States 3 France May 12th 2016, h. 20:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Canada 3 Germany May 13th 2016, h. 16:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg United States 3 Hungary May 13th 2016, h. 20:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Germany 1 Belarus May 14th 2016, h. 12:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg France 3 Finland May 14th 2016, h. 16:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Hungary 2 Belarus May 14th 2016, h. 20:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Canada 3 Slovakia May 15th 2016, h. 16:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Germany 2 United States May 15th 2016, h. 20:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Slovakia 2 Finland May 16th 2016, h. 16:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Canada 3 France May 16th 2016, h. 20:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Germany 2 Hungary May 17th 2016, h. 12:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg United States 1 Slovakia May 17th 2016, h. 16:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Belarus 1 France May 17th 2016, h. 20:15, Arena Yubileyni, Saint Petersburg Canada 1 Finland [/hide]

TOP 3 MOMENTS OF 2015 Canada Canada´s golden moments from 2015

TEAM PRESENTATIONS France Home Away The indomitable Gauls? Continuity key to French hopes in Russia Remarkably, France has stayed in the top division since 2008, proving as indomitable as Asterix and Obelix, the mascots of next year’s World Championship. In Russia this year, the French are looking for another solid performance leading into 2017, which will be co-hosted by Paris and Cologne, Germany. Bucking the odds, they’ve raised the bar high with upset victories over hockey superpowers at recent Worlds. In 2013, France got its first win ever over Russia with a 2-1 round-robin shocker. In 2014, Les Bleus opened with a 3-2 shootout win versus Canada on Pierre-Edouard Bellemare’s goal. Last year, they weren’t able to equal their eighth-place finish from 2014, coming 12th instead. Even so, there were no easy rides for France’s opponents. Bringing back the same core players year after year has clearly provided an advantage for France. What lies ahead for coach Dave Henderson and his troops in 2016? Goal Loosely put, Cristobal Huet is the Jaromir Jagr of French goalies. At 40, the first Frenchman to hoist the Stanley Cup (with Chicago in 2010) remains the starting goalie for his nation. Want proof that his competitive fires still burn strongly? When Huet’s pro club, Lausanne HC of the Swiss NLA, was forced to play a relegation series this year, he posted a 1.67 GAA and 92.3 save percentage in three games, and Lausanne avoided getting sent down. Huet will be backed up by 31-year-old Florian Hardy of Austria’s Dornbirner EC. Hardy shone with 28 saves in the historic 2013 win over Russia. Ronan Quemeener of Asploven HC in the Swedish Allsvenskan is the number three goalie. Defence Long-time Grenoble captain Baptiste Amar was a minutes monster who anchored the French blue line until his 2014 retirement. He was missed last year. But the team has moved on, and still presents a well-organized resistance in its own zone. Historically, the team has relied heavily on Yohann Auvitu, who has played the last two seasons with IFK Helsinki. This tournament will also offer a chance for Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel to step up. The 29-year-old has played in North America since 2010, most recently with the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings. Notable regulars are missing, though. Not included on the final roster is Kevin Hecquefeuille (SCL Tigers Langnau), who was the most consistent point-producer among French defencemen, having chipped in three or more points at each of his last four Worlds. Antonin Manavian, who spent part of this year with the Hungarian club Székesfehérvár, is injured. Lacking a marquee star, the French rearguards will need to rely on good positional play and tenacity. Forward At the 2015 Worlds, Damien Fleury went on a scoring tear with a team-high five goals. French fans must hope the 30-year-old Schwenningen Wild Wings speedster can revive his prowess in St. Petersburg, because this year’s team might struggle on offence. It will be interesting to see if Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, a two-time Swedish champion with Skelleftea AIK, can regain his offensive confidence here. In two seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, Bellemare has just 26 points in 155 NHL games. As on defence, key names are missing up front. Dallas Stars agitator Antoine Roussel, who was named a tournament all-star in 2014 with 11 points, is still embroiled in the Stanley Cup playoffs against the St. Louis Blues. Former NHLer Stephane da Costa, who got 12 playoff points with Gagarin Cup finalists CSKA Moscow, is out, hurt again after an injured-plagued season. Proving how important continuity is to this program, Laurent Meunier has served as France’s captain ever since Dave Henderson took over the national team in 2005. And 22-year-old left wing Tim Bozon, a Montreal Canadiens prospect, is the son of IIHF Hall of Famer Philippe Bozon, who blazed a trail with 144 games for the St. Louis Blues in the early 1990’s. Coaching The best way to understand head coach Dave Henderson’s coaching philosophy is to let him put it in his own words. In a 2010 interview, Henderson told IIHF.com: “We haven’t ruled out using naturalized players, but we’re proud of the fact that we’re leaning on guys who have emerged out of our youth hockey programs. They're proving they have the intestinal fortitude and work ethic to do it, and we’re hoping it continues that way.” He added: “This tournament is played on the ice and not the lineup sheets. Every game, we go in and try to win. It’s not just coming here and hoping not to get blown out.” Six years later, the Montreal-born former Amiens forward has stayed true to his word. His team, relying on homegrown talent, is unlikely to win a medal. But it’s also unlikely to get outworked. While the go-to players for France remain largely the same this year, youthful help is on the way. France will be without long-time assistant coach Pierre Pousse at this tournament. He was injured in a car accident that tragically claimed the life of his wife Violette Mazza. The IIHF extends its sympathy to Mr. Pousse and his family. Stephane Barin, the head coach of the Ligue Magnus’s Epinal Dauphins, will fill in as an assistant coach. Projected Results While cracking the top eight for just the third time in modern hockey history would be a wonderful surprise for France, it’s a long shot. Henderson’s boys need to come out of the gate quickly and collect some points, with their first three games against Germany, Slovakia, and Hungary. For a nation that currently sits 12th in the IIHF World Ranking, finishing anywhere between ninth and 12th would be quite reasonable.

TEAM PRESENTATIONS Norway ´ Home Away Yes way, Norway! Top-level nation looking for goals Norway is developing more and more world-class players who have ensured a top-level appearance annually. Norway is now playing in its eleventh straight top-level World Championship. It has finished as high as 6th, in 2011, and as low as 14th, in 2007, but it has always found a way to qualify for the succeeding year’s tournament. This year, with a veteran lineup, the R word (relegation) is not even a consideration for a team that has clawed and fought its way to respectability – provided it can get its offence in place. Goal The same three goalies who played in 2015 are back for Russia in 2016. Lars Haugen, playing in his sixth straight World Championship, appeared in five of the seven games last year and has a career record over 50% (15-0-14). Behind him is Lars Volden, who was 0-2 last year, and Steffen Soberg, who was the third goaltender and didn’t play. Defence Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, who has captained the team four of the last five years, will anchor a blue line which features seven returnees from the ten players listed on the pre-tournament roster. Other veteran names fans will recognize include Jonas Holos, Mats Trygg, Mattias Norstebo, and Henrik Odegaard. The new names are Jonas Johannessen, Dennis Sveum, and 21-year-old Erlend Lesund. This will be a group intent more on playing around its goaltender and shutting down the opposition rather than assisting the offence. Last year the back end scored only four goals, three from Norstebo. Forward The only significant name missing from a forward unit that is virtually identical to 2015 is Patrick Thoresen. Beyond that, the roster is recognizable: Morten Ask, Anders Bastiansen, Kristian Forsberg, Ken Andre and Mathis Olimb. The challenge is that Thoresen led the team with four goals last year and the leading point getter, Mathis Olimb (8) didn’t score once. The NHLer Andreas Martinsen of the Colorado Avalanche and Mats Zuccarello are on the roster. Where else are the goals going to come from? The newcomers are Michael Haga, a 24-year-old who last played at the 2011 WM20 for Norway, and Thomas Valkvae Olsen, who will turn 23 later this month. Sondre Olden, who played at both the World and Olympics in 2014, is also back. Among this core must come the goals. Coaching Roy Johansen is the lynchpin to the Norwegian team. He took over head coaching duties in 2002, when the team played in Division I, and over four years moved the team from third place to second to first and promotion to the top level for 2006. Johansen has been with the national program the whole time, and his consistent place behind the bench is integral to the team’s success. Projected Results Norway is looking at games against Latvia, Denmark, and Kazakhstan as the vital ones to win. Interestingly, it has a great record against the Danes and weak record against the Latvians but has never faced the Kazakhs at WM play before. As always, these games will be a challenge, but there’s every reason to believe that Norway will be back in 2017 in the top level. But they have to get some goals. Last year, they had but 12 in seven games, and this year’s lineup is without its top scorer. The challenge is more from within than without.

TEAM PRESENTATIONS Kazakhstan Home Away Trans-Atlantic hopes North American trio could lift Kazakhstan The naturalization of Barys Astana’s import strike force may provide the firepower to keep the Central Asian nation among the elite. Kazakhstan is a classic elevator team, and few were surprised when it bounced straight back into the top division with gold in Division IA last year. But history shows that staying among the elite is often a challenge too far for the Kazakhs. In 2014, the last time Kazakhstan featured at the highest level, it was a case of so near and yet so far. A shootout loss to Germany and an overtime reverse against the Americans gave the team two points; single goal defeats against Latvia and Finland suggested that the Central Asians were capable of competing at this level but those narrow margins combined to leave Ari-Pekka Selin’s roster bottom of the group and enduring that sinking feeling once again. This time, under the guidance of head coach Andrei Nazarov, the team is boosted by the naturalization of Brandon Bochenski, Nigel Dawes and Dustin Boyd, three North American forwards who starred for Barys Astana in the KHL. There’s also a welcome return for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl goalie Vitali Kolesnik. Goalie Long-serving netminder Vitali Yeremeyev retired after the 2014 Championship, leaving Pavel Poluektov of Barys to backstop the team to goal in Poland last year. But the return of Vitali Kolesnik for his first international action since 2013 is a boost for a team that tends to give up too many goals at this level. The Lokomotiv Yaroslavl goalie shared the #1 spot with KHL record-breaker Alexei Murygin during the regular season and had a GAA of 1.99 and two shut-outs in 26 appearances. Defence There’s no Kevin Dallman this time – the veteran Canadian-born D-man is back home for family reasons and won’t come to Moscow. Dallman’s contribution will be missed at both ends of the rink. His absence will put further pressure on the Kazakh PK, which was the weakest in the 2014 Worlds after giving up 14 goals in seven games with a success rate of just 61.1%. Russian fans, in particular, will be watching for Damir Ryspayev. The 21-year-old Barys enforcer earned instant notoriety with 111 penalty minutes in just 16 KHL games this season. He earned three match expulsions – two against Medvescak and another against Avangard – and four major penalties, including one in a fight with Russian tough-guy Yevgeni Artyukhin. Following his assault on Avangard’s Czech D-man Michal Kempny in a 7-2 home defeat in January, Ryspayev was handed a five-game ban and was explicitly censured by the league’s disciplinary panel for “an offence that in no way corresponds to the letter of the law, nor the spirit of the game”. Forwards The big news on offence is the availability of long-serving Barys Astana trio Brandon Bochenski, Nigel Dawes and Dustin Boyd. Bochenski, who tasted World Championship action in Russia in 2007 as part of Team USA’s roster, has been playing KHL hockey in Kazakhstan since 2010, while his two line-mates arrived a year later. After gaining Kazakh citizenship, all three were given the all-clear to play for the national team at the end of March. They’ve all scored heavily for Barys – U.S.-born Bochenski has 143+198=341 points in 340 games, while former Canadian U20 internationals Dawes and Boyd both amassed more than 200 points. Dawes and Bochenski found the net in Friday’s 3-2 friendly win in Hungary and there are great expectations that their line can provide the firepower to improve on 2014’s near miss. They’ll be seeking support from Roman Starchenko, the leading scorer in last season’s promotion campaign, and another hugely experienced Barys man, Vadim Krasnoslobodtsev. But there’s no place for Talgat Zhailauov; he hasn’t featured for Barys since early January due to an injury and won’t be in Nazarov’s squad here. Coaching Andrei Nazarov began the season at SKA St. Petersburg, but his abrasive style ruffled feathers from day one with the defending Gagarin Cup holder and he left the club to return to Barys in October. Life in Kazakhstan wasn’t all that straightforward, though: Barys missed out on the playoffs for the first time in the KHL. But Nazarov has, for much of his coaching career, been an expert at getting strong results from limited resources – and that’s exactly what he’ll need to do to keep Kazakhstan in the top division. Projected results The big task for Kazakhstan is to turn the near misses of 2014 into the victories that can keep it off the foot of the table. Defenceman Vyacheslav Tryasunov warned that this wouldn’t be an easy task. “We all know what lies ahead and we’re preparing for it,” he said in an interview on on the official website. “We’ve all come here ready to work hard and show what we can do.” Realistically, Kazakhstan’s prospects will rest on its results against Latvia, Denmark and possibly Norway in a mini-league to settle the relegation issue. While the scoring power of the new North American recruits will help, the loss of Kevin Dallman from an already creaky defence will mean that once again Kazakhstan will face a tough battle if it is to end a run of 10 years since its last victory in a game at this level, a relegation round success over Slovenia in Riga in 2006.

ROAD TO IIHF MEN´S ICE HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016 -1 Day To Go Team Jersey for the 80th IIHF World Championships 2016 Belarus Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Canada Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Czech Republic Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Denmark Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Finland Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- France Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Germany Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hungary Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kazakhstan Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Latvia Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Norway ´ Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Russia Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Slovakia Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sweden Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Switzerland Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- United States Home Away -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After 2 consecutive olympics participation in womens singles, we will miss the Badminton actions this time...well, expected though