Bern, Switzerland (My Sportsbook) - Latvia and Norway each won preliminary finales to advance to the qualification round at the 2009 World Hockey Championship.

Latvia notched a 2-0 win over Austria to claim the final spot from Group C, while Norway captured a 5-4 overtime win against Denmark to gain the final qualifying spot from Group D.

Only the top three finishers from each of the four groups advance to the qualification round.

The United States and Sweden also qualified from Group C and will meet on Wednesday to determine the order of finish. The Americans have won their first two games in group play and would finish atop the standings with another victory.

Norway finished third in Group D, which will wrap up play Wednesday when Finland and the Czech Republic meet. The Finns and Czechs entered the contest with two wins apiece, having both beaten Norway and Denmark.

Canada, Belarus and Slovakia advanced from Group A, while defending champion Russia, Switzerland and France moved on from Group B.

The qualification round, which starts Thursday, consists of two groups with six teams each playing a round robin. Group A and Group D will make up one of qualification groups, while Group B and Group C will account for the other.

Teams carry the points from the preliminary round with the teams that they played and advance with. For example, Canada won all three of its games in Group A, but only carries the six points from the two victories against Belarus and Slovakia.

Also, teams that have already met in the preliminary round do not square off again in the qualification round, meaning Canada will next play Finland, the Czech Republic and Norway.

The top four teams from each qualification group then advance to the single- elimination quarterfinals.