The 1954 World Championships has been described by the IIHF as "the start of the modern era of international hockey."
The tournament saw the first participation of the Soviet Union in international competition.
The Soviet Union had organized its first ice hockey league in 1946, having previously focused on bandy.
Led by coach Arkady Chernyshev, the Soviet national team finished their first six games undefeated.
Canada, represented by the East York Lyndhursts, was also undefeated and, in the final game of the tournament, the two teams met for the first time in international competition.
The Soviet Union won the game 7–2, becoming the fifth team to win a World Championship tournament.
The 1955 World Championship was held in West Germany, and the two teams again met in the final game of the tournament.
The game was so high profile in Canada that announcer Foster Hewitt flew to Germany to provide play-by-play coverage.
Both teams were undefeated and Canada, represented by the Penticton Vees, defeated the Soviets 5–0 to reclaim the World Championship.
At the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Canada's Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen lost to both the Soviets and the United States in the medal round and won the bronze.
The Soviets went undefeated and won their first Olympic ice hockey gold medal.
It would be seven years until the Soviet Union won another World Championship.

The 1957 World Championships were held in Moscow.
Canada and the United States did not participate in protest of the Soviet occupation of Hungary.
Most of the games were held in the Luzhniki Sports Palace, but the Soviet officials decided to hold the final game in a nearby outdoor soccer stadium.
The game was attended by at least 55,000 people, which stood as a World Championship attendance record until 2010.
In the final game, Sweden edged the Soviet Union to finish with six wins and one tie (the Soviet Union had five wins and two ties) and won the gold medal.
Canada returned to the World Championship in 1958 and won two consecutive titles, with the Soviets winning silver both times.
At the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California, Canada, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Sweden were the top four teams heading into the Games.
All four were defeated by the American team, which won all seven games en route to its first Olympic gold medal.

In 1961, Czechoslovakia defeated the Soviet Union and tied Canada to make it a three-way race for gold.
In the final game, Canada defeated the Soviets 5–1 to win their nineteenth gold medal.
The Trail Smoke Eaters became the final club team to represent Canada.
The following year, Canada implemented a national team program, led by Father David Bauer.
Canada would not win another world championship gold until 1994.
In 1962, the World Championships were held in North America for the first time.
The tournament was held in Denver, United States, and was boycotted by the Soviet and Czechoslovak teams.
Sweden defeated Canada for the first time in the history of the competition and won their third gold medal.
The 1954 World Championships has been described by the IIHF as "the start of the modern era of international hockey." The tournament saw the first participation of the Soviet Union in international competition. The Soviet Union had organized its first ice hockey league in 1946, having previously focused on bandy. Led by coach Arkady Chernyshev, the Soviet national team finished their first six games undefeated. Canada, represented by the East York Lyndhursts, was also undefeated and, in the final game of the tournament, the two teams met for the first time in international competition. The Soviet Union won the game 7–2, becoming the fifth team to win a World Championship tournament. The 1955 World Championship was held in West Germany, and the two teams again met in the final game of the tournament. The game was so high profile in Canada that announcer Foster Hewitt flew to Germany to provide play-by-play coverage. Both teams were undefeated and Canada, represented by the Penticton Vees, defeated the Soviets 5–0 to reclaim the World Championship. At the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Canada's Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen lost to both the Soviets and the United States in the medal round and won the bronze. The Soviets went undefeated and won their first Olympic ice hockey gold medal. It would be seven years until the Soviet Union won another World Championship.
The 1957 World Championships were held in Moscow. Canada and the United States did not participate in protest of the Soviet occupation of Hungary. Most of the games were held in the Luzhniki Sports Palace, but the Soviet officials decided to hold the final game in a nearby outdoor soccer stadium. The game was attended by at least 55,000 people, which stood as a World Championship attendance record until 2010. In the final game, Sweden edged the Soviet Union to finish with six wins and one tie (the Soviet Union had five wins and two ties) and won the gold medal. Canada returned to the World Championship in 1958 and won two consecutive titles, with the Soviets winning silver both times. At the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California, Canada, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Sweden were the top four teams heading into the Games. All four were defeated by the American team, which won all seven games en route to its first Olympic gold medal.
In 1961, Czechoslovakia defeated the Soviet Union and tied Canada to make it a three-way race for gold. In the final game, Canada defeated the Soviets 5–1 to win their nineteenth gold medal. The Trail Smoke Eaters became the final club team to represent Canada. The following year, Canada implemented a national team program, led by Father David Bauer. Canada would not win another world championship gold until 1994. In 1962, the World Championships were held in North America for the first time. The tournament was held in Denver, United States, and was boycotted by the Soviet and Czechoslovak teams. Sweden defeated Canada for the first time in the history of the competition and won their third gold medal.
Ice Hockey World Championships