Olympic win moves Canada women to top of ice hockey’s world ranking

The Canadian women were second to the USA before Thursday's championship game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome but the 3-2 overtime triumph allowed the Canada to leap-frog over their longtime rivals.

Bronze medallist Switzerland, meanwhile, jumped two spots to third overall in the ranking from fifth.

The ranking reflects the result of the last four years, including the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and its qualification events, as well as the IIHF's women’s world championships from 2011 to 2013.
 
Finland is fourth, while Russia dropped one spot to fifth. They’re followed by sixth-ranked Sweden and No 7 Germany, whose placements remained the same.

The Czech Republic (8th) and Sochi 2014 qualifier Japan (9th) moved up one place apiece, while Slovakia, which played at Vancouver 2010, fell two spots and now comes in 10th place ahead of Norway.
 
Denmark made the biggest move thanks to its successful Olympic qualification campaign, rising from 17th to 12th.
 
The 2014 IIHF list grades 36 countries that have competed in the women's world championship programme in the last few years.

The ranking reflects the long-term quality of the international women's hockey programme and is also used to determine the seeding and qualification for Olympic women’s ice hockey tournaments.

1. (+1) Canada 2960
2. (-1) United States 2940
3. (+2) Switzerland 2720
4. (-1) Finland 2715
5. (-1) Russia 2675
6. (0) Sweden 2660
7. (0) Germany 2565
8. (+1) Czech Republic 2400
9. (+1) Japan 2395
10. (-2) Slovakia 2325
11. (0) Norway 2285
12. (+5) Denmark 2265
13. (-1) Austria 2190
14. (+1) China 2115
15. (-1) Kazakhstan 2110
16. (0) France 2055
17. (-4) Latvia 2055
18. (+2) Netherlands 1935
19. (-1) Great Britain 1915
20. (-1) Italy 1890
21. (+1) Hungary 1780
22. (-1) Slovenia 1630
23. (+4) Poland 1605
24. (+4) Korea 1515
25. (-1) Croatia 1510
26. (+3) Spain 1505
27. (-4) Australia 1025
28. (-3) New Zealand 975
29. (-3) DPR Korea 960
30. (0) Iceland 815
31. (0) Belgium 805
32. (0) South Africa 755
33. (+1) Turkey 470
34. (-1) Bulgaria 460
35. (0) Ireland 435
36. (0) Romania 135

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