Last day scenarios 2004 IIHF World U20 Championship, Group B:
There could arise two different three-team tie situations following the games on December, 31 in Group B in Helsinki.
If CZE beats CAN and FIN beats SUI, then CZE, CAN and FIN all finish on 6 points. In this case the ranking shall be determined by the results of games ONLY between those teams.
Results so far: CAN-FIN 3-0, FIN-CZE 3-2.
Standing between the teams (games played, goal difference):
CAN 1 3-0 +3
CZE 1 2-3 -1
FIN 2 3-5 -2
Scenario: If CZE beats CAN by two goals (example 2-0), this creates this standing:
CZE 2 4-3 +1
CAN 2 3-2 +1
FIN 2 3-5 -2
CZE wins group on higher amount of goals scored.
Any one-goal win by CZE over CAN in this three-team tie (1-0, 2-1, 5-4) places CAN first in the group.
FIN cannot win the group since they cannot improve their record in this three-team tie situation.
Note: CZE of course also wins the group if they beat CAN by any score (example 1-0) providing SUI beats FIN. In this case, there is no three-team tie (only two CZE and CAN on 6 points) and CZE wins the group by virtue of the head-to-head game against CAN.
The other three-team tie could arise if CAN beats CZE and SUI beats FIN. Then, with CAN obviously the winner of the group, CZE, SUI and FIN all finish on 4 points.
Results so far: FIN-CZE 3-2, CZE-SUI 2-1.
Standing between the teams (games played, goal difference):
CZE 2 4-4 0
FIN 1 3-2 +1
SUI 1 1-2 -1
Scenario: Any two-goal win by SUI over FIN creates a standing where CZE and SUI finish ahead of FIN, which then ends up on fourth place. Example, SUI-FIN 2-0:
SUI 2 3-2 +1
CZE 2 4-4 0
FIN 2 3-4 -2
Scenario: The most intriguing situation occurs if SUI beats FIN 3-2. This result creates the following standing within the three-team tie:
FIN 2 5-5 0
CZE 2 4-4 0
SUI 2 4-4 0
In this situation FIN takes second place behind CAN by virtue of most goals scored, while CZE and SUI are still tied. The tiebreaker between CZE and FIN, as ruled out in the IIHF Statues & Bylaws, is: If total equality still exists, then the goals from all games played in the group will count, with goal difference as the first tie-breaker and highest amount of goals scored as the second.
If the teams are still equal, despite the whole procedure as above, then the two teams will take part in a separate game winning shot competition ("penalty shoot-out"). This can actually happen if CAN beats CZE 7-5.
In this case, going back to the standings with all games included, CZE and SUI will have the following record:
CZE 4 2 0 2 17-11 4
SUI 4 2 0 2 17-11 4
Note: A "penalty shoot-out" would take place after the SUI-FIN game.
Scenario: A win by SUI over FIN by one goal with scores 4-3, 5-4, 6-5 etc will place CZE third under this three-team tie situation. Example SUI-FIN 4-3:
FIN 2 6-6 0
SUI 2 5-5 0
CZE 2 4-4 0
http://www.iihf.com/news/iihfpr8603.htm