Sweden Top Seed in Knockout Stage of Olympic Hockey Tournament
The Olympic Hockey tournament continues this week in the 2014 Sochi games with the knockout stages. The first round of preliminary group stage games is completed and the final set of teams is set.
Win and stay in or loss and go home is what is now on tap for the remaining nations competing in men’s ice hockey.
The knockout stage starts on Tuesday and players know it does not matter how the team wins, but whether its wins at his point.
Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States will not play until Wednesday. The four nations were given automatic byes to the quarterfinals due to their success during the preliminary round.
Sweden earned the top seed, as the sole team to win its three games played in Group C in regulation play. The U.S. was given the No. 2 seed with 8 points and a goal differential of plus-11, which was two points better than Canada, which was given the No. 3 seed. The Canadians had 8 points as well. Finland was fourth after recording seven points in their three games.
Sweden, in its quarterfinal game, will play the winner of the Austria versus Slovenia qualification round matchup.
The U.S. will face the winner of the game between the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Canada faces the winner of Switzerland and Latvia, while Finland will face the winner of Russia and Norway.
The Wednesday quarterfinals will be followed on Friday by the semifinals, with the game for the bronze medal on Saturday and the gold medal matchup scheduled for Sunday.
If the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 gave hockey fans any insight that what takes place during the first preliminary rounds stays there. Remember the action, how the teams played, but do not read all that much into the results. The knockout stage is when the tournament begins.
In 2010, Canada was a No. 6 seed after registering only 5 points in the preliminary round in losses in regulation to the U.S. and in a shootout versus Switzerland. However, at the end of the Olympics, it was the Canadians who won gold.
Sweden was second after the group stage in Vancouver but was knocked out of the tournament by Slovakia the seventh place qualifiers during the quarterfinal round.
Russia finished third in the group stage, but their hopes of gold were ended when they lost to host Canada.
Players know that this stage is much more difficult as one mistake can cost the tournament and a favorite can be upset easily if the game is close towards the end of regulation.
When Canada scored an overtime winner versus Finland, their tournament became just slightly easier. With that win, the Canada team finished No. 3 and will not be faced with possibly playing Russia in the quarterfinals.
Canada might be facing Switzerland in the quarterfinals and the Swiss allowed only one goal in three games while scoring just two.
The Swiss defeated the Canadians in the Turin Olympic in 2006. Canada however, has Ralph Krueger, a former coach of the national team of Switzerland as one of their coaches.
For all intents and purposes, the hockey tournament in the 2014 Sochi Olympics starts Tuesday. Have fun and enjoy the action.
