It's certainly been a week to remember in British Ice Hockey, one that we will never forget for a long time.
After winning promotion to Division 1A just 12 months ago in Belfast, and that was an experience I personally will never forget as I saw it first hand, GB headed into Hungary and a step up in quality. In opposition for Pete Russell's men were Kazakhstan, Slovenia, Italy, Poland and the hosts Hungary. Slovenia and Italy been relegated from the "Elite Group" with the Slovenians many people's favourites for an immediate return back. GB were the lowest ranked team in the entire tournament, and most fans expectations were to be happy for a consolidation year after the successes in the last few years.
Pete Russell picked a strong roster for the trip to Budapest with a number of World Championship debutants although the core of the Belfast success story was also present; and again captained by Sheffield Steelers Jonathan Phillips. After a couple of warm up games against Lithuania in Milton Keynes and Coventry, the team were as ready as they could be.
The tournament couldn't have started any more difficult for the Brits as their first game was against Slovenia. Both sides traded goals in the first period before Robert Dowd's marker edged the Brits ahead at the end of the second. Nottingham Panthers forward Brett Perlini added a third early in the final period, and the Brits repelled any threat from their more fancied opponents to start the tournament in the best possible fashion. Next up would be the Kazahkstanis.
Coventry Blaze forward Luke Ferrara gave the team the best possible start with a goal less than three minutes in but the scores were again level before the end of the first. Kazakhstan put a bit of distance between the sides with a couple of goals in the space of less than two minutes midway through the middle period, and then rubbed it in more for a comprehensive win with three more strikes in the early stages of period three with Roman Starchenko scoring twice.
Game three was against Poland, a team that GB have seen in opposition quite a few times recently especially in warm up games for tournaments such as this. Once more GB made a fast start thanks to another goal from Perlini but the Poles levelled midway through. However, Colin Shields restored the advantage with a powerplay strike just before the end of that opening period. Poland netted twice without reply in the middle frame but also missed a penalty shot when Ben Bowns denied Damian Kapica which was to prove oh so vital. The Brits gained energy from that and in the final period goals from Brendan Brooks, Dowd plus an empty netter from skipper Phillips secured a 5-3 win.
Going into the fourth game against Italy, GB received a massive boost when the results of the previous games had secured their place in 1A for 2019 but could they kick on even further? A titanic battle awaited. Every time that GB, the Italians levelled. Ben O'Connor had scored with an incredible shot from just inside the red line which embarrassed Italian netminder Andreas Bernard and caused him to be replaced by Marco Di Filippo. The game winning goal came at 48:44 with Perlini scoring his second of the game after the Italians had switched off their concentration levels. A third win for the team and one that put them in prime position for the unthinkable 24 hours later.
24 different permutations were possible on the tournament's final day, with GB just needing a single point from the final game against Hungary. It was reduced to just 6 after Kazakhstan trounced the Poles 6-1 which confirmed the latter's relegation to 1B and then two when a last gasp goal gave Italy a 3-2 win over Slovenia meant it would be decided in that final game. A sell out crowd was present and the majority were celebrating early doors when Christopher Bodó netted an early powerplay goal.
It was extended to two early in the final period and GB were facing another final day heartbreak, but this team do not know when to quit and Dowd's third of the tournament reduced the arrears to one with just over nine minutes to play. Could they get that all-important second? Deep in the final minute, Russell gambled 6 on 5 with Bowns pulled for an extra attacker and as the clock showed 15.6 seconds left Robert Farmer saw his pass or was it a shot; squeak through the Hungarian netminder to spark joy for GB and despair for the hosts. Hungary had little but no time to level, and couldn't force their way past Bowns which meant it would be GB and Italy would play in the Elite Group for 2019; GB's first appearance there since 1994 when Tony Hand was playing amongst others. The game itself still had to be played out, and GB added icing on the cake with a shootout win.
So it's now the big boys such as Canada, Russia, Sweden and USA next year for Russell's team. The actual format will be known probably after the 2018 World Championships in Denmark later this month but it will be one hell of a tough task ahead. In my opinion, this needs to kick start IHUK to do something to give the team the best possible chance of competing and competing well. If this means talking to the EIHL to reschedule the fixture list so that GB take part in some kind of mid-season Euro Hockey tournament then we do just that. Two warm up games and a week long training camp isn't the preparation for this kind of championship requires. But that's my opinion as I said. In the meantime let's enjoy this latest fairy tale coming true, it's a wonderful time to be a GB hockey fan for sure!
Going into the fourth game against Italy, GB received a massive boost when the results of the previous games had secured their place in 1A for 2019 but could they kick on even further? A titanic battle awaited. Every time that GB, the Italians levelled. Ben O'Connor had scored with an incredible shot from just inside the red line which embarrassed Italian netminder Andreas Bernard and caused him to be replaced by Marco Di Filippo. The game winning goal came at 48:44 with Perlini scoring his second of the game after the Italians had switched off their concentration levels. A third win for the team and one that put them in prime position for the unthinkable 24 hours later.
24 different permutations were possible on the tournament's final day, with GB just needing a single point from the final game against Hungary. It was reduced to just 6 after Kazakhstan trounced the Poles 6-1 which confirmed the latter's relegation to 1B and then two when a last gasp goal gave Italy a 3-2 win over Slovenia meant it would be decided in that final game. A sell out crowd was present and the majority were celebrating early doors when Christopher Bodó netted an early powerplay goal.
It was extended to two early in the final period and GB were facing another final day heartbreak, but this team do not know when to quit and Dowd's third of the tournament reduced the arrears to one with just over nine minutes to play. Could they get that all-important second? Deep in the final minute, Russell gambled 6 on 5 with Bowns pulled for an extra attacker and as the clock showed 15.6 seconds left Robert Farmer saw his pass or was it a shot; squeak through the Hungarian netminder to spark joy for GB and despair for the hosts. Hungary had little but no time to level, and couldn't force their way past Bowns which meant it would be GB and Italy would play in the Elite Group for 2019; GB's first appearance there since 1994 when Tony Hand was playing amongst others. The game itself still had to be played out, and GB added icing on the cake with a shootout win.
So it's now the big boys such as Canada, Russia, Sweden and USA next year for Russell's team. The actual format will be known probably after the 2018 World Championships in Denmark later this month but it will be one hell of a tough task ahead. In my opinion, this needs to kick start IHUK to do something to give the team the best possible chance of competing and competing well. If this means talking to the EIHL to reschedule the fixture list so that GB take part in some kind of mid-season Euro Hockey tournament then we do just that. Two warm up games and a week long training camp isn't the preparation for this kind of championship requires. But that's my opinion as I said. In the meantime let's enjoy this latest fairy tale coming true, it's a wonderful time to be a GB hockey fan for sure!
Thanks for reading this article. If you have any comments then I would like to hear from you. You can get in touch by leaving something at the bottom of this page, or I can be reached on Social Media too.
Please like The Hockey Blog on Facebook and for Twitter users you can connect with us at:
@hockeybhoy
@hockeyblogger71
If you want to e-mail me then I can be reached at the following email address: hockeybhoy71@outlook.com
No comments:
Post a Comment