There were tight games across the board when the final games of the prelimary round were played.  Latvia kept the Austrian forwards at bay with a 2-0 win while Norway and Denmark had to battle it out in overtime before a winner could be decided.  Norway came out on top and advanced to the Qualification round while Denmark will have to defend their place in IHWC in the Relegation round.  In the evening Sweden and Finland won their respective games, but both games were close.

GROUP C

Austria - Latvia 0-2 (0-1, 0-0, 0-1)
29 April 2009, Postfinance Arena, Berne, Att: 5,274
0-1 19:15 Martins Cipulis 1 (Vasiljevs, Skrastins)
0-2 54:56 Guntis Dzerins 1 (Redlis)
AUT 9x2, LAT 3x2 + 1x5 + 1x20 (Karsums), SOG 21:37 (8:16, 6:14, 7:7)
Best players: AUT: Bernd Brückler, LAT: Karlis Skrastins

AUT: Bernd Brückler; Gerhard Unterluggauer, Thomas Koch (2), Matthias Trattnig, Darcy Werenka (2), Thomas Vanek - Andreas Nodl (2), Jeremy Rebek, Martin Oraze, David Schuller (6), Oliver Setzinger - Roland Kaspitz, Philippe Lakos, Andre Lakos (4), Markus Peintner, Christoph Harand - Paul Schellander (2), Andreas Kristler, Gregor Baumgartner.
LAT: Edgars Masalskis; Janis Sprukts, Karlis Skrastins, Martins Karsums (25), Krisjanis Redlihs, Girts Ankipans - Rodrigo Lavins (2), Lauris Darzins (2), Kristaps Sotnieks, Mikelis Redlihs, Armands Berzins - Herberts Vasiljevs, Guntis Galvins, Aleksandrs Nizivijs, Georgijs Pujacs, Martins Cipulis - Guntis Dzerins, Aleksandrs Jerofejevs, Olegs Sorokins, Roberts Jekimovs, Aigars Cipruss.
Refs. Sami Partanen (FIN) & Daniel Piechaczek (GER)
Linesmen: Antti Orelma (FIN) / Daniel Wirth (SUI)

Sweden - USA 6-5 (0-1, 2-2, 3-2, 1-0)
29 April 2009, Postfinance Arena, Berne, Att: 9,876
0-1 14:11 Patrick O'Sullivan 3 (Blake)
1-1 25:07 Mattias Weinhandl 3 (Johansson, Tärnström) PP1
2-1 26:42 Marcus Nilson 2 (Strålman, Andersson)
2-2 29:58 John Michael Liles 1 (Johnson, O'Sullivan) PP2
2-3 37:26 Ryan Shannon 1 (Johnson, Liles) PP2
2-4 44:06 Ryan Shannon 2 (Stafford, Liles)
2-5 48:20 Jack Johnson 3 (Oshie, Backes)
3-5 48:46 Magnus Johansson 3 (Weinhandl, Mårtensson)
4-5 52:45 Niklas Persson 1 (Jönsson, Huselius) SH1
5-5 56:19 Mattias Weinhandl 4 (Mårtensson)
6-5 61:59 Kristian Huselius 1 (Persson, Johansson)
SWE 7x2, USA 3x2, SOG 28:44 (7:13, 10:20, 8:11, 3:0)

SWE: Jonas Gustavsson; Nicklas Grossman, Magnus Johansson, Tony Mårtensson (2), Loui Eriksson, Mattias Weinhandl - Johan Åkerman (2), Patrik Berglund, Rickard Wallin (2), Dick Tärnström (6), Kristian Huselius - Martin Thörnberg, Linus Omark, Johan Harju, Kenny Jönsson, Anton Strålman - Johan Andersson (2), Niklas Persson, Marcus Nilson.
USA: Robert Esche; Ron Hainsey, Patrick O'Sullivan, Ryan Suter (4), Dustin Brown, Jason Blake - Jack Johnson, Kyle Okposo (2), John Michael Liles, David Backes, T J Oshie - Keith Ballard, Matt Niskanen, Nick Foligno, Drew Stafford, Ryan Shannon - Zach Bogosian, Peter Harrold, Lee Stempniak, Colin Wilson, Colin Stuart.
Refs: Peter Orszag (SVK) & Jyri Petteri Rönn (FIN)
Linesmen: Ivan Dedioulia (BLR) / Felix Winnekens (GER)

Both teams had solid chances in a first period that had nice plays from both teams. USA saw their chance after a failed Swedish shot from the blue line and Patrick O'Sullivan made no mistake when he put it away behind Jonas Gustavsson in the Swedish goal.

In the second period Sweden opened strong and got two quick goals behind Robert Esche. The US team re-energized however and scored two goals in 5-on-3 to take the lead again.

The US team continued to dominate in the start of the third period and left the Swedish defense wide open and they also scored two quick goals. This seemed to give Sweden a boost and they started to apply pressure to the US defense and managed to score the equalizer with three minutes to go.

In overtime Sweden looked like the more active team and Kristian Huselius scored the winning goal after just under two minutes.

GROUP D

Denmark - Norway 4-5 (2-2, 1-1, 1-1, 0-1)
29 April 2009, Arena Zürich-Kloten, Att: 4,496
1-0 04:56 Alexander Sundberg 1
1-1 05:40 P Thoresen 1 (Vikingstad, Skroder)
2-1 09:33 Jesper Damgaard 1 (Lykkeskov)
2-2 13:50 Anders Bastiansen 1 (Spets) SH1
3-2 21:02 Morten Green 1 (Bodker)
3-3 36:18 Tore Vikingstad 1 (Myrvold) PP1
3-4 44:51 Mats Zuccarello Aasen 2 PP1
4-4 46:22 Daniel Nielsen 1 (Green) PP1
4-5 61:06 T Jakobsen 2 (Skroder)
DEN 7x2, NOR 8x2, SOG 36:42 (12:17, 12:10, 11:14, 1:1)

DEN: Patrick Galbraith; Philip Hersby (4), Philip Larsen (6), Kim Staal, Nichlas Hardt, Peter Regin - Jesper Damgaard, Kasper Degn, Morten Green, Mads Christensen, Mikkel Bodker - Mads Bodker, Daniel Nielsen, Mads Christensen, Morten Madsen (2), Julian Jakobsen - Kim Lykkeskov, Thor Dresler, Alexander Sundberg (2), Kasper Pedersen, Jesper Jensen.
NOR: Pal Grotnes; Per-Åge Skroder, Mats Trygg (2), Tore Vikingstad (2), Patrick Thoresen (2), Anders Myrvold (2) - Jonas Holös, Tommy Jakobsen (2), Mads Hansen (2), Lars Erik Spets, Martin Roymark - Anders Bastiansen, Morten Ask (4), Lars Erik Lund, Alexander Bonsaksen, Mats Zuccarello Aasen - Juha Kaunismäki, Peter Lorentzen, Kristian Forsberg, Martin Laumann Ylven.
Refs: Vyacheslav Bulanov (RUS) / Rafail Kadyrov (RUS)
Linesmen: Konstantin Gordenko (RUS) / Yuriy Oskirko (RUS)

Finland - Czech Republic 4-3 (1-2, 2-1, 1-0)
29 April 2009, Arena Zürich-Kloten, Att: 6,456
1-0 09:32 Niko Kapanen 4 (Miettinen, Hagman)
1-1 10:14 Tomas Rolinek 1 (Marek) SH1
1-2 13:30 Miroslav Blatak 2 (Jagr, Cajanek)
1-3 23:10 Ales Kotalik 1 (Hlinka) PP1
2-3 23:52 Ville Koistinen 1 (Kapanen, Kapanen) PP1
3-3 38:56 Niko Kapanen 5 (Hyvönen, Miettinen) PP2
4-3 51:59 Niklas Hagman 1 (Kapanen, Koistinen)
FIN 5x2, CZE 12x2, SOG 33:21 (9:7, 14:8, 10:6)

FIN: Pekka Rinne; Lasse Kukkonen, Niklas Hagman, Antti Miettinen, Mikko Lehtonen (2), Niko Kapanen - Ville Koistinen, Hannes Hyvönen (2), Sami Kapanen, Jarkko Immonen, Anssi Sakmeka - Topi Jaakola, Kalle Kerman, Janne Niinimaa (2), Tuomas Pihlman (2), Juha-Pekka Hytonen - Tommi Santala, Mika Pyörälä, Leo Komarov (2), Jarkko Ruutu.
CZE: Jakub Stepanek; Marek Zidlicky, Michal Barinka (2), Petr Cajanek, Jakub Klepis (2), Jaromir Jagr - Tomas Plekanec, Karel Rachunek, Petr Caslava (2), Josef Vasicek (6), Ales Hemsky - Roman Polak (4), Roman Cervenka, Jan Marek (2), Miroslav Blatak (2), Tomas Rolinek - Ondrej Nemec (2), Ales Kotalik, Jarsolav Hlinka, Zbynek Irgl, Rostislav Olesz.
Refs: Rick Looker (USA), Sören Persson (SWE)
Linesmen: Peter Feola (USA), Peter Sabelström (SWE)