Ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics
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In Ice hockey
at the 1948 Winter Olympics
, Team Canada
returned to its dominance, winning their fourth Gold Medal out of the first five Olympic Games.
(AAU) and the United States Olympic Committee
(USOC). The USOC was responsible for determining American participation in the Games. The other team was sponsored by the Amateur Hockey Association
(AHA) and the Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace (LIHG). The LIHG, under the guidance of founder Wilhelm "Willie" Bernfeld, was responsible for approving the participation of national hockey teams at the Olympics. The AHA openly allowed professional players on their teams, and the team sent to St. Moritz was composed of professionals, whereas the AAU team was strictly made up of amateurs. No resolution was reached before the Games and both teams arrived at St. Moritz ready to play. This created a tense showdown between the USOC's president, Avery Brundage
, the LIHG, the Swiss organizing committee and the International Olympic Committee
(IOC). The IOC was responsible for the overall running of the Games. The IOC initially ruled that neither team could compete. This incensed the LIHG, who threatened to boycott the Olympics, effectively ending the hockey tournament. The Swiss organizing committee, fearing this eventuality, ignored the IOC's ruling and allowed the AHA team to play in the tournament and the AAU team to march in the opening ceremony
. Eventually the parties agreed to allow the AHA team to play but they would receive no official ranking in the Olympic tournament, and they would not be eligible to win a medal. Because this tournament was also the LIHG (forerunner of the IIHF) World Championship, they maintained a fourth place in that ranking.
. Czechoslovakia also won seven games. The tournament was decided on goal differential. Team Canada outscored their opponents 69–5 (a +64 goal differential). The Czechoslovakia team outscored their opponents 80–18 (a +62 goal differential). Canada won the gold by a two-goal margin. The Swiss
team earned the bronze medal.
* United States team was disqualified. Only eight teams are officially ranked.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
at the 1948 Winter Olympics
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936...
, Team Canada
Canadian national men's hockey team
The Canadian national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by senior...
returned to its dominance, winning their fourth Gold Medal out of the first five Olympic Games.
Rival United States teams
The tournament was marred by controversy before the Games began. The United States sent two hockey teams to compete in St. Moritz, which nearly caused the cancellation of the entire tournament. At the center of the issue was amateurism. One team was sponsored by the Amateur Athletic UnionAmateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
(AAU) and the United States Olympic Committee
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
(USOC). The USOC was responsible for determining American participation in the Games. The other team was sponsored by the Amateur Hockey Association
Amateur Hockey Association
The Amateur Hockey Association of Canada was an amateur men's ice hockey league founded in 1886, in existence until 1898. It was the second ice hockey league organized in Canada, after one in Kingston, Ontario started in 1883. It was organized to provide a longer season to determine the Canadian...
(AHA) and the Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace (LIHG). The LIHG, under the guidance of founder Wilhelm "Willie" Bernfeld, was responsible for approving the participation of national hockey teams at the Olympics. The AHA openly allowed professional players on their teams, and the team sent to St. Moritz was composed of professionals, whereas the AAU team was strictly made up of amateurs. No resolution was reached before the Games and both teams arrived at St. Moritz ready to play. This created a tense showdown between the USOC's president, Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage was an American amateur athlete, sports official, art collector, and philanthropist. Brundage competed in the 1912 Olympics and was the US national all-around athlete in 1914, 1916 and 1918...
, the LIHG, the Swiss organizing committee and the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC). The IOC was responsible for the overall running of the Games. The IOC initially ruled that neither team could compete. This incensed the LIHG, who threatened to boycott the Olympics, effectively ending the hockey tournament. The Swiss organizing committee, fearing this eventuality, ignored the IOC's ruling and allowed the AHA team to play in the tournament and the AAU team to march in the opening ceremony
Olympic Games ceremony
Olympic Games ceremonies were an integral part of the Ancient Olympic Games. Some of the elements of the modern ceremonies harken back to the Ancient Games from which the Modern Olympics draw their ancestry. An example of this is the prominence of Greece in both the opening and closing ceremonies...
. Eventually the parties agreed to allow the AHA team to play but they would receive no official ranking in the Olympic tournament, and they would not be eligible to win a medal. Because this tournament was also the LIHG (forerunner of the IIHF) World Championship, they maintained a fourth place in that ranking.
Final tournament
The tournament was run in a round robin format with nine teams participating. The Canadians had seven wins and one tie against the team from CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia at the 1948 Winter Olympics
Czechoslovakia competed at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The country's only medal was a silver in ice hockey.-Medalists:- Alpine skiing:MenMen's combined...
. Czechoslovakia also won seven games. The tournament was decided on goal differential. Team Canada outscored their opponents 69–5 (a +64 goal differential). The Czechoslovakia team outscored their opponents 80–18 (a +62 goal differential). Canada won the gold by a two-goal margin. The Swiss
Switzerland at the 1948 Winter Olympics
Switzerland was the host nation for the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz. It was the second time that Switzerland had hosted the Winter Games, after the 1928 Winter Olympics, also in St. Moritz.-Medalists:- Alpine skiing:Men...
team earned the bronze medal.
| Medal | Team |
|---|---|
| Gold | |
| Silver | |
| Bronze |
| Pld | W | T | L | GF | GA | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 69 | 5 | 15 | |
| 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 80 | 18 | 15 | |
| 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 67 | 21 | 12 | |
| 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 55 | 28 | 8 | |
| 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 39 | 47 | 6 | |
| 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 29 | 97 | 4 | |
| 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 33 | 77 | 2 | |
| 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 24 | 156 | 0 | |
| * | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 86 | 33 | 10 |
* United States team was disqualified. Only eight teams are officially ranked.
Results
- January 30
- Switzerland 5-4 USA
- Canada 3-1 Sweden
- Poland 7-5 Austria
- Czechoslovakia 22-3 Italy
- January 31
- USA 23-4 Poland
- Czechoslovakia 6-3 Sweden
- Switzerland 16-0 Italy
- United Kingdom 5-4 Austria
- February 1
- Canada 3-0 United Kingdom
- USA 31-1 Italy
- Switzerland 11-2 Austria
- Czechoslovakia 13-2 Poland
- February 2
- Sweden 7-1 Austria
- Canada 15-0 Poland
- Czechoslovakia 11-4 United Kingdom
- February 3
- Canada 21-1 Italy
- USA 5-2 Sweden
- February 4
- Czechoslovakia 17-3 Austria
- Poland 13-7 Italy
- Switzerland 12-3 United Kingdom
- February 5
- Austria 16-5 Italy
- United Kingdom 7-2 Poland
- Switzerland 8-2 Sweden
- Canada 12-3 USA
- February 6
- Switzerland 14-0 Poland
- Canada 0-0 Czechoslovakia
- Sweden 4-3 United Kingdom
- USA 13-2 Austria
- February 7
- USA 4-3 United Kingdom
- Czechoslovakia 7-1 Switzerland
- Canada 12-0 Austria
- Sweden 23-0 Italy
- February 8
- United Kingdom 14-7 Italy
- Czechoslovakia 4-3 USA
- Canada 3-0 Switzerland
- Sweden 13-2 Poland
Top scorer
| Team | GP | G | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Walter HalderWalter Halder Walter Edwin Halder was a Canadian ice hockey player. He was a member of the Ottawa RCAF Flyers who won the gold medal in ice hockey for Canada at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz. He was the top scorer of the Canadian team, as well as the top scorer of the entire tournament... |
8 | 21 | 8 | 29 |