Gold Medal series
Canada-Sweden, 2-1
box score
Canada wins Gold Medals

World Championships'97 statistics

Medal Round - Helsinki
The three best teams from each Preliminary Round group form a six-team final series. Points from the Preliminary Round matches against teams from the same group carried forward to the Medal Round. The two best teams from the Medal Round will meet in a "best of three" Final. The bronze medal will be decided in a match between the third- and fourth-placed teams.

Relegation Round - Tampere
The three last teams from each Preliminary Round group form a six-team relegation series. Points from the Preliminary Round matches against teams from the same group carried forward to the Relegation Round. The 6th placed team will be relegated to Pool B.

Preliminary Round
final standings

Previous scores:
Sweden-Canada, 1-3 box score
Canada-Russia, 2-1 box score
USA-Finland, 0-2 box score
Canada-Czech Rep., 3-5 box score
Russia-USA, 1-1 box score
Finland-Canada, 0-1 box score
Czech Rep.-USA, 3-4 box score
USA-Sweden, 1-3 box score
Italy-Canada, 0-6 box score
Canada-USA, 5-1 box score
USA-Italy, 4-2 box score
Canada-Latvia, 3-3 box score

Finland hosts the games

World Championships is an annual tournament unfortunately coinciding with the Stanley Cup playoffs. This means two things. First, national teams participating will only have NHL-players from those teams that fail to qualify for the NHL post-season. That means no country can field their best possible team in the tournament. A fact that gives more clout to every four-or-so-years held World Cup Of Hockey (formely called the Canada Cup) and the Winter Olympics. Second, media coverage and overall interest in the US is minimal. However, for Europeans World Championships are a big deal.