Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics – Men's tournament
 |
|
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country |
 Japan
|
| Dates | 7–22 February |
| Teams | 14 |
| Venue(s) | Big Hat, Aqua Wing Arena (in 1 host city) |
| Final positions | |
Champions 
|
 Czech Republic (1st title)
|
Runner-up 
|
 Russia
|
Third place 
|
 Finland
|
| Fourth place |
 Canada
|
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 35 |
| Goals scored | 210 (6 per match) |
| Scoring leader(s) |
Teemu Selänne10 points
|
The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, was the 19th Olympic Championship. The Czech Republic, which emerged from the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, won its first gold medal, becoming only the seventh nation to ever win Olympic ice hockey gold. The tournament, held from February 7 to February 22, was played at the Big Hat and Aqua Wing arenas.
This was the first Olympics in which the National Hockey League (NHL) took a break (17 days, from February 8 to February 24) allowing national teams to be constructed using the best possible talent from each country. The 1998 Olympic tournament therefore came to be known as the "Tournament of the Century". Unlike previous Olympics where athletes could choose five-star hotel accommodations (such as the USA Men's Basketball team), NHL players were required to stay in the Olympic Village like other athletes.
Both Canada and the United States were heavily favoured; they had previously faced off in the final of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. After a below-expectations performance in the tournament which included only one win, however, several American players trashed their rooms in the Olympic Village. Although the Americans quickly paid for the damage, they never apologized. The Canadian team, despite a strong start in the round robin, failed to play well after losing their semifinal match against the Czech Republic, and played a lackluster bronze medal game, disappointing Canadians who wished for Wayne Gretzky to get an Olympic medal. Nonetheless, Gretzky encouraged all of his teammates to attend the closing ceremony.
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