They said USA won Finland in finals...
That'd make Finland on second place? However they came 4th?
shareThat is correct. The medal round was a round robin, so the game between the USA-USSR was not an actual semifinal. Also, games against others in the medal round that took place in pool play counted towards the standings in the medal round.
Before the medal round even started, the standings were as follows:
1. USSR 1-0-0 (2 points) - They defeated Finland 4-2 in pool play.
2. USA 0-0-1 (1 point) - Tied Sweden 2-2 in pool play.
Sweden 0-0-1 (1 point)
4. Finland 0-1-0
Even after the win over the Soviets, which gave Team USA 3 points and put them into first in the round, they could have fell to fourth if they lost to Finland.
Finland and Sweden tied in their medal round game, 3-3, so the standings after the first set of medal round games was:
1. USA 1-0-1 (3 points)
2. USSR 1-1-0 (2 points)
3. Sweden 0-0-2 (2 points)
4. Finland 0-1-1 (1 point)
It was pretty much a given that Team USA was going to medal once they beat the Soviets. There was no way USSR would lose two games in a row (they ended up blasting Sweden 9-2).
Once USA beat Finland 4-2, it was wrapped up. When the USSR and Sweden played, the gold medal had already been decided (they played after).
To theskillz:
Good detailed answer, except you got the last part wrong.
When they began the medal round, they had the top two teams from each pool set to play two more games, not three as you stated. They played the two teams from the other pool--the two they had not played in the Olympics.
As you said, the point totals were continued--that is, they retained the points they earned against the other team from their own pool. You correctly show the point totals going into the final games--USA vs. Finland and CCCP vs. Sweden.
Had Finland beaten the US, they both would have finished with 3 points--with records against the other three being 1 win, 1 loss, and 1 tie. The Soviets would have then claimed the gold after their 9-2 romp over Sweden, they would have been the only team in the four with two wins.
Once the US beat Finland, they claimed the gold, with a 2-0-1 slate, and with Finland finishing 0-2-1, they are the ones who failed to claim a medal.
I could not find any info on what tiebreakers might have been employed, had they been necessary. That 3-way tie for second that could have occurred would have made it tough.