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Teenager Jordan Lawday, the best young netminder in Britain, is intent on following the lead of Cardiff Devils’ Ben Bowns.
Lawday, 19, plays National League hockey and is facing a baptism of fire in Wales since returning from North America.
Basingstoke-born Lawday, currently with the GB team for their World Under-20 Championship challenge, is facing 40-plus shots a game between the pipes for Cardiff Fire.
He has a burning desire to play Elite League hockey in the future and is dreaming of a chance to train with Cardiff Devils goalies Bowns and Thomas Murdy over the next couple of seasons.
Canadian coach Mark Smith, a former Cardiff Devils defenceman, is delighted with the progress of Lawday, saying: “He has been fantastic, huge for our team.
“Jordon is hugely competitive and is itching to help us get that first win. He is a great goaltender and a great guy.
“He has the potential to go a long way in hockey.”
Mark Cuddihy, a Fire director and head coach, says: “We are super proud of Jordan. We are bottom of the National League and have a player in Britain’s under-20 team.
“That’s all his work, of course, and he came through the GB under-18 side, but everybody at Fire feels a sense of pride at his achievement. He’s one hell of a goalie, one hell of a guy.
“I believe Fire now have the best two junior goalies in the UK with Lewis Davies and Jordan, who is in the GB under-20 team. Lewis plays at under-18 level.”
Lawday began his junior career with Basingstoke’s junior club progressing on to the National League at 16-years-old and posting a save rate of 91.9 per cent.
He went to the US to progress his hockey career, signing for Soo Indians u-18 team in Michigan and again returning stats north of 90 per cent.
Lawday played for Ogden Mustangs in the Western States League in Utah before coming back to the UK and joining Fire.
He will miss Fire’s final NIHL match of 2017, at Swindon Wildcats on Sunday, because he is with GB in Dumfries, Scotland for World Championship matches against Estonia, Japan, Netherlands, Romania and Korea in Division Two group A.
GB’s first game is against Romania on Sunday (December 10) followed by Estonia the following day.
Britain then play Netherlands on Wednesday, while they go head-to-head with Korea 24 hours later.
They round off the competition by facing Japan on Saturday, December 16 (All GB games face-off at 8pm).
Lawday started for GB as they warmed up for the championships with a 5-2 win against Korea at Dumfries Ice Bowl.
Sam Duggan (19-44), Cole Shudra (20-10), Jordan Buesa (23-27), Jordan Kelsall (30-32) and Marc Howlett (38-50).
There are three matches on the opening day of the World Under-20 Championships on Sunday, starting with Japan against Netherlands (1pm), followed Korea versus Estonia (4.30pm) and GB take on Romania (8pm).
Great Britain under-20 squad:
Netminders: Jordan Lawday (Cardiff Fire), Ethan James (Essa Stallions, Canada).
Defence: Lewis Baldwin (Blackburn Hawks), Bradley Jenion (South Shore Kings, USA), Stuart Kerr (Solway Sharks), Ed Knaggs (MK Lightning/Peterborough), Oliver Stone (Swindon Wildcats/Coventry Blaze), Tom Stubley (Hull Pirates), Josh Tetlow (Bracknell Bees/ Nottingham Panthers).
Forwards: Josh Smith (Basingstoke Bison), Jordan Buesa (Solway Sharks /Braehead Clan), Sam Duggan (Orebro, Sweden), Ben Edmonds (Dundee Stars), Craig Garrigan (Skyland Kings, USA), Harry Gulliver (Ogden Mustangs, USA), Mac Howlett (Saipa, Finland), Jordan Kelsall (Swindon Wildcats/Nottingham Panthers), Liam Kirk (Sheffield Steelers), Morgan Clarke-Pizzo (OHA, Canada), Cole Shudra (Sheffield Steelers), Chad Smith (Fife Flyers), Josh Waller (Pisek, Czech Republic).
