Five Of The Best For GB Ice Hockey Preparations

Head coach Pete Russell says Great Britain’s five international challenge games in the UK next year will be excellent preparation for the World Championship in Slovakia.

GB first return to ice hockey’s elite level for the first time since 1994 next May and their training camp will include five top class international games.

Ice Hockey UK secretary Andy French described the matches arranged as ‘exciting and mouth-watering’, while a delighted Russell said GB have a ‘great line-up’ of fixtures.

Britain play KHL side Riga at the Skydome Coventry on Wednesday, February 6, Italy at the same arena on Friday, April 19 and Hungary at Planet Ice Milton Keynes two days later (Sunday, April 21).

http://https://youtu.be/c_lA7hBg5a0

Britain defeated Italy and Hungary during last season’s gold-medal campaign in Budapest, including the dramatic game against the hosts when Robert Farmer scored with 10 seconds remaining to secure GB the point they needed for promotion (see video interview above)

Great Britain then face KHL team Torpedo on Saturday, April 27 (Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham) and the following evening at the Fly DSA Arena Sheffield.

Face-off times and ticket information will be announced shortly.

“This is great line-up of games and really good preparation for the World Championships,” said Russell.

“The variety of opponents is excellent and just the sort of games we need ahead of such a huge year for GB.

“The games against Italy and Hungary will bring back memories of when we dared to dream in Budapest.

http://https://youtu.be/y0QJIexE0lk

“The matches against the KHL sides will be fantastic and it will be great to pit our wits against players from one of the top leagues in the world.”

French, said: “This is a really exciting line-up of warm-up games for Great Britain in their World Championship preparations.

“It has been a lot of work getting everything into place but we are heading down the final stretch now with something we have been working on since May.

“We would like to thank everyone involved in getting these mouth-watering fixtures lined up and assisting Great Britain with preparations for the World Championship.

“They are sure to be five fantastic games and it would be great to see thousands turn out in such a big year for the national side.”

Pre-World Championship tournament schedule

Wednesday, February 6: Great Britain v Dinamo Riga (Skydome Coventry)

Friday 19th April 19: Great Britain v Italy (Skydome Coventry)

Saturday, April 20: Italy v Hungary (Skydome Coventry)

Sunday, April 21: Great Britain v Hungary (Planet Ice Milton Keynes)

Saturday, April 27: Great Britain v Torpedo (Motorpoint Arena Nottingham)

Sunday, April 28: Great Britain v Torpedo (Fly DSA Arena Sheffield)

Great Britain players celebrate World Championship promotion last season. Pic: Dean Woolley.

GB’s 23-man squad for the 2018 World Championships, when they won gold and earned promotion to the top tier, included Devils players Ben Bowns, Thomas Murdy, Mark Richardson and Matthew Myers.

Cardiff-born Jonathan Phillips, a former Devil now playing for Sheffield, was also in the team.

Cardiff D-man Josh Batch missed out last season, but is having the sort of season for Devils which suggests he could step up this time.

Welsh winger Ben Davies and Scottish forward Craig Moore, who has joined Fife Flyers from Devils, are others who will fancy a tilt at making the GB squad for the 2019 World Championships.

GB’s 2018 squad (players for next year not yet see;ected)

Netminders

Ben Bowns – Cardiff Devils

Jackson Whistle – Belfast Giants

Thomas Murdy – Cardiff Devils (reserve)

Defence

Dallas Ehrhardt – Manchester Storm

Steve Lee – Nottingham Panthers

Ben O’Connor – Sheffield Steelers

David Phillips – Sheffield Steelers

Mark Richardson – Cardiff Devils

Zach Sullivan – Braehead Clan

Paul Swindlehurst – Manchester Storm

Forwards

Ollie Betteridge – Nottingham Panthers

Brendan Brooks – Braehead Clan

Ben Davies – Guildford Flames

Robert Dowd – Sheffield Steelers

Robert Farmer – Nottingham Panthers

Luke Ferrara – Coventry Blaze

Mike Hammond – Manchester Storm

Liam Kirk – Sheffield Steelers

Robert Lachowicz – Nottingham Panthers

Matthew Myers – Cardiff Devils

Jonathan Phillips – Sheffield Steelers

Brett Perlini – Nottingham Panthers

Colin Shields – Belfast Giants