International Ice Hockey Federation

Information

Tournament Format

 

The teams play a single round-robin series. Each teams plays each opponent once. The first two winning teams of the event will be promoted to the Top Division. The last-ranked team will be relegated to Division I Group B.

 

Three Point System

For all games points shall be awarded as follows:

  • 3 points for the winning team at the conclusion of regulation time
  • 1 point for both teams at the conclusion of regulation time if the game is tied
  • An additional point earned for the team winning the game in a 5-minute overtime period, or the Game Winning Shots Procedure if the teams are still tied following conclusion of the overtime period
  • 0 points for the team losing the game in regulation time

Overtime Operations

If a game is tied at the end of regulation time, a five-minute overtime period shall be played immediately after an intermission of three minutes. Teams will change ends for the overtime period. The game will end when the five minutes has expired or when a goal is scored; the scoring team will be declared the winner. If no goal is scored in the overtime period then the Game Winning Shots Procedure will apply. All overtime periods of any IIHF game shall be played with each team at the numerical strength of four (4) skaters and one (1) goalkeeper.

Game Winning Shots Procedure

If no goal is scored in the overtime period then the Game Winning Shots (GWS) procedure will apply. The following procedure will be utilized:

  • Shots will be taken at both ends of the ice surface. The 14-meter wide longitudinal centre section of the rink, between the Face-Off Spots in the neutral and end zones, will be dry-scraped by the ice-resurfacing machine prior to the Game Winning Shots during the time required to organize the program accordingly.

  • The procedure will begin with three different shooters from each team taking alternate shots. The players do not need to be named beforehand. Eligible to participate in the Game Winning Shots will be the four goalkeepers and all players from both teams listed on the official game sheet except as specified in article 3 below.

  • Any player whose penalty had not been completed when the overtime period ended is not eligible to be one of the players selected to take the shots and must remain in the penalty box or in the dressing room. Also players serving penalties imposed during the game winning shots must remain in the penalty box or in the dressing room until the end of the procedure.

  • The Referee will call the two captains to the Referee Crease and flip a coin to determine which team takes the first shot. The winner of the coin toss will have the choice whether his team will shoot first or second.

  • The goalkeepers shall defend the same goal as in the overtime period and may remain at their goal creases while the opposing team is taking a shot.

  • The goalkeepers from each team may be changed after each shot.

  • The shots will be taken in accordance with rule 509 of the IIHF Official Rule Book.

  • The players of both teams will take the shots alternately until a decisive goal is scored. The remaining shots will not be taken.

  • If the result is still tied after 3 shots by each team the procedure shall continue with a tie-break shoot-out by one player of each team, with the same or new players with the other team starting to take the tie-break shots. The same player can also be used for each shot by a team in the tie-break shoot-out. The game shall be finished as soon as a duel of two players brings the decisive result.

  • The Official Scorekeeper will record all shots taken, indicating the players, goalkeepers and goals scored.

  • Only the decisive goal will count in the result of the game. It shall be credited to the player who scored and to the goalkeeper concerned.

  • If a team declines to participate in the game winning shots procedure the game will be declared as a loss for that team and the other team will be awarded 3 points for a win. If a player declines to take a shot it will be declared "no score" for his team.

Tie breaking formula

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. 

Due to the fact that the three-point system does not allow a game to end in a tie, then the following tie breaking procedure is applicable when three or more teams are tied in points in a Championship standing.

Should three or more teams be tied on points, then a tie breaking formula will be applied as follows, creating a sub-group amongst the tied teams. This process will continue until only two or none of the teams remain tied. In the case of two tied teams remaining, the game between the two would then be the determining tie-breaker as the game could not end as a tie. In the case of none of the teams being tied, the criteria specified in the respective step applies.

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 three or more teams still remain tied in points then the better goal difference in the direct games amongst the tied teams will be decisive. 

Step 3:
Should three or more teams still remain tied in points and goal difference 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 in points, goal difference and goals scored 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.

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 (seeding).

Note: If not all mutual games have been played yet in an ongoing tournament, the tied teams will be ranked in the standings according to the following criteria: 1. Lower number of games played, 2. Goal difference, 3. Goals scored, 4. Positions coming into the Championship.

More information

Click here to download the IIHF’s Rule Book and Sport Regulations.

Player Entry

 

Teams can have up to 22 players on their rosters at the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group A.

 

  • The teams submit the names of the participating players at the first Championship Directorate.
  • The maximum number of players allowed on a Team Registration Form at the beginning of the World Championship is 20 skaters and 2 goalies. The minimum is 15 skaters and 2 goalies.
  • At the first Directorate meeting, the teams must name at least the minimum number of 15 skaters and 2 goalkeepers. The players entered must be present at the championship venue by the time of the Directorate meeting.
  • The remaining players up to the allowed maximum of 20 + 2 must be submitted for players' control two hours before any of the following championship games. Players can be added throughout the tournament until the roster is full.
  • During a game, a team may enter (dress) 20 skaters and 2 goalkeepers on the Official Game Sheet, with the emergency goalkeeper standing by if a goalie entered to the Official Game Sheet is unable to play.

Eligibility

 

To play in the IIHF World Championship, the Olympic ice hockey tournament and the qualifications to these competitions, players must fulfill the following qualification requirements:

 

- Each player must be under the jurisdiction of an IIHF member national association

- Each player must be a citizen of the country he represents. 


Acquiring a new national eligibility (The ‘two-year’ case)

When a player has changed his citizenship or has acquired another citizenship and wants to participate for the first time in an IIHF competition representing his new country he must:

- Prove that he has participated for at least two consecutive years in the national competitions of his new country during which period he has neither transferred to another country nor played ice hockey within any other country.

- Have an international transfer card (ITC) that shows the transfer to the national competition of his new country and which was approved and dated at least two years before the start of the IIHF competition in which he wishes to participate.

 

Change of national eligibility (The ‘four-year’ case)

A player, who has previously participated in IIHF competition, can switch national eligibility (but only once in a player's life) if:

- He is a citizen of the new country of his choice.

- He has participated for at least four consecutive years in the national competitions of his new country, during which period he has neither transferred to another country nor played ice hockey within any other country and has not played for his previous country in an IIHF competition during this four year period.

- He has an international transfer card (ITC) that shows the transfer to the national competition of his new country and which was approved and dated at least four years before the start of the IIHF competition in which he wishes to participate.

Arena

 

TAURON ARENA KRAKOW – WORTH TO BE HERE! 

 

TAURON Arena Krakow is the biggest arena in Poland and one of the most modern entertainment and sports venues in the world. It is located only 4 kilometres from the Main Square, in the picturesque surrounding of the Polish Aviators Park. It is also very well connected with the rest of the city. Investment was realized by Agencja Rozwoju Miasta S.A. Since February 2015 the naming rights sponsor is TAURON POLSKA ENERGIA S.A.

TAURON Arena Krakow is a complex with two sport halls, a bigger and smaller one. The main arena is called the bigger arena (over 4,500 square metres, the whole arena is over 61,000 square metres), three levels for audience and seating places or standing areas.

The total arena capacity is nearly 20,000 people for concerts and 15,000 seats on the tribunes. More than 500 places are available in the exclusive VIP area and in comfortable lounges.

The arena boasts Poland's biggest LED facade, 5,200 square metres of LED strip lighting that wraps around the stadium, and one of Europe's biggest LED screens at 540 square metres.

Audience: Restraints may be staged in a variety of configurations, convenient backstages for athletes and performers, multimedia and scenic systems, good acoustic systems are arena features, which allow to organize every event.

The TAURON Arena Krakow also has a small hall over 1700 square metres and an audience theatre for over 300 people. It can serve as a training hall or a rehearsal place during big events. It is perfect for the organization of smaller functions.

TAURON Arena Krakow offers 1,370 parking places for guests. The whole arena is accessible for people with disabilities.

Tauron Arena Krakow

Event Arena

The multifunctional nature of the Krakow Arena allows to stage on its premises at least some dozen disciplines in the world championships. They include: badminton, boxing, curling, acrobatic and artistic gymnastics, hall football, hockey, basketball, track and field, figure skating, volleyball, handball, martial arts, extreme sports, tennis, table tennis, equestrian competitions, sports dancing competitions.

TAURON Arena Krakow is a great place for the organization of sports competitions, but also concerts, exhibitions, congresses and trade fairs. It can also be a set for television shows, advertising production or great performances with the participation of thousands of spectators. The number of international events, which took place in TAURON Arena Kraków (during last nine months over 400,000 spectators) prove how important is this arena for city.

In 2014, the TAURON Arena Krakow was a place of big sports events like: FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship Poland 2014 Group D matches, XII Hubert Jerzy Wagner Memorial, Poland-Brazil (Volleyball World League) and the Polish Ice Hockey Cup Final. The TAURON Arena Krakow hosted also the Muaythai European Championships and the KSW gala. This year was opened by Agnieszka Radwanska and Maria Sharapova during the FED Cup Poland-Russia game. The next sports events will be: Freestyle Motocross World Championships - Diverse NIGHT of the JUMPs (20-21 March), first in Poland UFC gala (11st April) and the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I A (19-25 April).

In 2014, the TAURON Arena Krakow hosted many music world-known stars: Bryan Adams, Elton John, Michael Buble, Slash and Budka Suflera. The Beethoven Academy Orchestra played kids’ music from Disney Pixar movies, the Film Music Festival took place in arena too.

The first part of 2015 brought spectacular music events: concerts of Ennio Morricone, Katy Perry and Quenn with Adam Lambert. TAURON Arena Krakow will be a place of concerts: Robbie Williams (17 April), Faith No More (8 June), Mark Knopfler (13 July), Eros Ramazzotti (29 September), and the next edition of the Film Music Festival (30-31 May), music shows Violetta Live (25 August) and The Godfather Live (11 November). Additional information is available on www.krakowarena.pl.

TV Listings

 

The 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group A will be broadcast in following countries:

 

  • Czech Republic: Sport 1
  • Hungary: Sport 1
  • Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan TV
  • Italy, San Marino, Vatican: RAI
  • Poland: TVP
  • Slovakia: Sport 1

Information for Media

 

The media accreditation centre is near the south technical entry (from the M1 side). We invite media to get their credentials as of Sunday, 19 April 2015 on each game day between 10:00 and 21:00.

 

Both the media centre and the mixed zone are located at level 0. The media centre can be accessed by accredited media representatives. Technical support for photographers will be available at media centre during the tournament.

Click here for an arena map.

Media Accreditation

The accreditation request period for the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group A in Krakow, Poland, closed on 29 March 2015.

Organizer

 

The Polish Ice Hockey Federation (Polish: Polski Związek Hokeja na Lodzie, PZHL) is the governing body that oversees ice hockey in Poland. The PZHL is the only legal representative in all men and women age groups in country and abroad.

 

People in Poland started playing ice hockey after World War I when the country regained independence. In the 1920s hockey spread especially in big cities. The first ice hockey teams were created by young groups in Warsaw, Lodz and Lwow.

On the 17th February 1922 on the skating rink of the Warsaw Ice Skating Association, AZS Warsaw beat Polonia Warsaw 3:0. It was the first official game of “Canadian hockey” in Poland. The first tournament abroad was when AZS Warsaw played in Switzerland in 1924.

In the end of 1923 an Organizing Committee of The Polish Ice Hockey Federation was founded. The Polish Ice Hockey Federation was founded in Warsaw on 22 February 1925 by representatives of the four polish hockey's clubs: Polonia Warsaw, AZS Warsaw, Warszawianka and Warsaw Ice Skating Association (WTL Warsaw).

Wacław Znajdowski was the first chairman, cpt. Henryk Juliusz Krukowicz-Przedrzymirski vice-chairman. Today the Chariman of the Polish Ice Hockey Federation is Dawid Chwałka, who succeeded Zbigniew Hałasik. Janusz Wierzbowski acts as Secretary-General.

This year the PZHL will celebrate its 90th anniversary. This historical moment coincides with the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group A, which the PZHL will organize with the IIHF and the city of Krakow City at the TAURON Arena Krakow.

We invite all hockey fans to visit Krakow for the championship. Krakow, the former capital of Poland, is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in this part of Europe. This is another reason to come to Krakow and visit the TAURON Arena Krakow to cheer on the national teams during the event.