Ice Hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics

For the first time, Olympic ice hockey matches were held outside of the host city. Apart from matches in Oslo’s Jordal Amfi (which also hosted the figure skating), matches were held in Dæhlenenga, Drammen, Sandvika and Lillestrøm. Canada won the gold medal, as it had in 1920-1932, and 1948, but this was the last Winter Olympics prior to the Soviet Union competing, which would soon come to dominate international ice hockey. Although Canada won, there were numerous complaints from the Europeans over their rough play. At this time, body checking was not used often in European hockey, although it was legal. But the Canadians played a hard-checking game, which infuriated their opponents.

Apart from ice hockey, the similar sport of bandy was held as a demonstration sport in Oslo. Instead of a puck, bandy is played with a ball, on an outdoor rectangle of ice the size of a football (soccer) field. It is commonly played in Scandinavia and Russia.