From the IIHF sport regulations 2008, on their web site:

The tie-breaking system for two teams with the same number of points in a standing will be the game between the two teams, the winner of the game taking precedence.

If there are three teams on the same number of points:

Step 1:
Taking into consideration the games between each of the tied teams, a sub-group is created applying the points awarded in the direct games amongst the tied teams from which the teams are then ranked accordingly.

Step 2:
Should the teams still remain tied then the better goal difference in the direct games amongst the tied teams will be decisive.

Step 3:
Should the teams still remain tied then the highest number of goals scored by these teams in their direct games will be decisive.

Step 4:
Should three or more teams still remain tied then the results between each of the three teams and the closest best-ranked team outside the sub-group will be applied. In this case the tied team with the best result (1. points, 2. goal difference, 3. more goals scored) against the closest best ranked-team will take precedence.

Step 5:
Should the teams still remain tied, then the results between each of the three teams and the next highest best-ranked team outside the sub-group will be applied.
This process will continue until only two teams remain tied. The game between the two remaining tied teams would then be the determining tie-breaker as the game between these two teams could not end as a tie.

Step 6:
Should the teams still remain tied after these five steps have been exercised then Sport considerations will be applied and the teams will be ranked by their positions coming into the Championship.

No playoff round. Just a round robin, same as we had last year in Dunedin.

Be great if NZ can hold onto that 2nd division position – that’s the level they should be playing at.

Estonia has 6 professional teams in its country, plus a bunch of their players play in other professional leagues. They narrowly lost to Serbia last year so didn’t get promoted. If NZ can finish within single figures they’ll be doing well.

NZ go down to Iceland 3-1 in the first game. Photos here:

http://www.iihf.com/channels0910/wm-iib … il-10.html

Tournament stats etc here: http://www.iihf.com/channels0910/wm-iib/statistics.html

IIHF Under-18, Division 3, Group B World Championships
Saturday, 20 March 2010

New Zealand Under-18 National Team ? 5
Mexico Under-18 National Team ? 4

Gold Medal Game

Never before had this team played in such an important international game. Last year, New Zealand U-18 lost the first game, which put them out of gold medal contention. And with the Under-16?s, no game has carried such high rewards as this one.

The game was to start at 7:30pm; the day was quite tense as our minds were fixated on the upcoming game. We were also quite sore from the physical game versus South Africa the night before. Because of this, we took our pregame skate where we worked on defensive systems and skating drills. There was a good upbeat tempo and seriousness about the drills- the team was becoming more and more focussed.

We arrived at the rink to catch the tail end of the nail-biting South Africa ? Israel bronze medal game, in which our southern hemisphere friends won in a shootout. From then on, New Zealand regained their focus to the task at hand. This was to outskate, outwork and defeat Mexico. We had noted in our scouting that they were not a fit team, and they relied on two key players and lines. We had the depth to compete with 4 lines, and our fitness was far superior. If we survived the first period, we would do fine for the rest of the game.

The first period ended with 3 Mexican goals, and none from us. All three goals were on their powerplay. In the dressingroom at the intermission, we kept a positive attitude as we proved that we could skate with them. Not one player was showing signs of fatigue, and we know that we would begin to wear them down in the second.

The second period started with the same tempo as the first, but with NZ showing greater defensive commitment. Defencemen were blocking and deflecting shots, and our forwards were backchecking with more determination than their forecheck. New Zealand was rewarded soon enough by a goal from Connor Harrison. Soon after, from some outstanding penalty killing from Quinn Drake, a shorthanded goal was scored by Remy Sandoy. We were within one, but then Mexico gathered the puck on a rush and fired it past Joe Gaynor. 4-2 Mexico with 20 minutes to go.

The New Zealand dressingroom was pumped for the third period. Before entering the room myself, I stood back and listened to the team?s words of encouragement and motivation- everyone was talking. We had developed the inner confidence that we were going to take this. And we certainly did.

In the first 10 minutes of the third period, Harrison and Gareth Lloyd scored 3 goals to make it 5-4, and we would hold on to this lead. Despite playing a more defensive game, we outskated the Mexicans and won our 1on1 battles. Our defence was rock solid. And our forward lines were skating with such tenacity. Even with Dane Dunlop in the penalty box with 3 minutes to go, we rallied around our goalie and blocked everything that went our way. The final minutes ticked down quickly, and when Jamie Lawrence corralled a loose puck along the side boards and carried it up the ice with 10 seconds to go, New Zealand realized that they had earned an IIHF Under-18 Division 3 Group B World Championship.

Reflecting on this game that has now taken place 3 days ago, we now realize that this team was formed from way back starting in 2006 with the New Zealand Under-16?s. These players fed off each other, and learned how to win under any circumstance. They had the drive and belief that they could overcome any deficit, such as blowing a 5-2 lead against Israel to win 9-8, or coming back to defeat Mexico from a 3-0 beating. Now that we are back home in New Zealand and have gone our own separate ways, we have a year to enjoy this success, and prepare on the ice to prove to the world that New Zealand belongs in the IIHF Division 2 competition.

Reported by:
Jonathan Albright
New Zealand Under-18 National Team
New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation
24 March 2010

It’s just positions at the end of the round robin, like the Div III seniors that were held in Dunedin last year, as there’s only 5 teams.

If there were more teams there would be two pools, and then knockout, like there was for the U20s a couple of months ago.

I think if they’re able to confirm teams now, the schedules should be able to be worked around – put in a bye week etc. They’ll have to do the same thing for the nzihl.