The2005 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held March 7 – May 15, 2005, in 7 cities in 6 countries:Vienna andInnsbruck,Austria (Championship);Debrecen,Hungary (Division I - Group A);Eindhoven, theNetherlands (Division I - Group B);Zagreb,Croatia (Division II - Group A);Belgrade,Serbia and Montenegro (Division II - Group B);Mexico City,Mexico (Division III). The competition also served as qualification for division placements in the2006 competition. It was a major professional tournament, because of the2004–05 NHL labor dispute. This international event was the 69th such event sanctioned by theInternational Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The championship was won by theCzech Republic.
The Championship division was contested from April 30 to May 15, 2005, inVienna andInnsbruck,Austria. The participants were placed into groups of four with the top three teams in each group advancing to the qualifying round. Teams which finished last in the group were sent to the relegation round where the top bottom teams were relegated to the 2006 Division I tournament. Within the qualifying round teams were split into two groups of six with the top four advancing to the playoff round and the bottom two eliminated from advancing. The playoff round was a knockout stage towards the gold medal game. The Championship was played inVienna,Austria. TheCzech Republic won the gold medal game, defeatingCanada 3–0. WhileGermany andAustria were relegated to Division I for 2006.[1]
Czech Republic
Canada
Russia
Sweden
Slovakia
United States
Finland
Switzerland
Latvia
Belarus
Ukraine
Kazakhstan
Slovenia
Denmark
Germany —relegated to Division I for 2006
Austria —relegated to Division I for 2006Division I was contested from April 17 to April 23, 2005. Participants in this tournament were separated into two separate tournament groups. The Group A tournament was contested inDebrecen,Hungary. Group B's games were played inEindhoven,Netherlands.Norway andItaly finished atop of Group A and Group B respectively, gaining promotion to theChampionship division for 2006. WhileChina finished last in Group A andRomania last in Group B and were relegated toDivision II for 2006.[2][3]
Group A | Group B
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Division II was contested from April 4 to April 16, 2005. Participants in this tournament were separated into two separate tournament groups. The Group A tournament was contested inZagreb,Croatia. Group B's games were played inBelgrade,Serbia and Montenegro.Croatia andIsrael finished atop of Group A and Group B respectively, gaining promotion toDivision I for 2006. WhileTurkey finished last in Group A andIceland last in Group B and were relegated toDivision III for 2006.[4][5]
Group A
| Group B
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Division III was contested from March 7–13, 2005 inMexico City,Mexico.Mexico won the championship and gained promotion, along withSouth Africa, into the2006 Division II tournament.[6]
Mexico —promoted to Division II for 2006
South Africa —promoted to Division II for 2006
Luxembourg
Ireland
Armenia
