High Five For Great Britain In World Championships

Great Britain 5, Estonia 1

Great Britain are one of three teams on maximum points after the first two days of World Championship ice hockey at the SSE Arena in Belfast.

They are level with Lithuania and Japan, while Croatia, Estonia and the Netherlands have yet to win.

GB’s next test is against Lithuania, who have yet to concede a goal, on Wednesday evening.

Liam Stewart scored his first international goal, while David Clarke and Evan Mosey were on the scoresheet for the second time in the tournament.

Mark Garside and David Phillips were the other GB scorers.

Netminder Stephen Murphy turned away 21 of the 22 shots he faced in the rink where he plays for Elite League side Belfast Giants.

Brendan Brooks was denied on the doorstep inside the first four minutes, before Clarke’s clever pass from the right circle saw Garside touch in his fourth international goal from the slot four minutes 38 seconds.

Jonathan Weaver’s blast from the blueline was saved by netminder Villem-Henrik Koitmaa, while David Phillips made it 2-0 with a shot through traffic at 19-19.

Murphy had to be alert to turn away a tip by Roman Andrejev tip, but the same man pulled Estonia to within one when he redirected a pass from Lauri Lahesalu on the powerplay at 29:20.

Robert Dowd danced through from the left circle but was denied down low by Koitmaa.

GB then scored three goals in three minutes 12 seconds during the final period to clinch victory.

Stewart, in his debut men’s World Championship tournament, scored his first international goal from a rebound at 41-16.

Clarke reacted first to a loose puck (44-02) and 26 seconds later Mosey turned in a pass from Matthew Myers (44-28) to make it 5-1 to GB.

Match stats:

Period scores (GB first): 2-0; 0-1 (2-1); 3-0 (5-1).

Shots on goal: GB 43, Estonia 22.

Penalties in minutes: GB 10, Estonia 6.

Attendance: 1,437.

GB squad:

Netminders: Ben Bowns (Cardiff Devils), Stephen Murphy (Belfast Giants), Thomas Murdy (Cardiff Devils, reserve).

Defence: Mark Garside (Belfast Giants), Steve Lee (Nottingham Panthers), Ben O’Connor (Sheffield Steelers), David Phillips (Sheffield Steelers), Mark Richardson (Cardiff Devils), Paul Swindlehurst (Manchester Storm), Jonathan Weaver (Telford Tigers).

Forwards: Brendan Brooks (Fife Flyers), David Clarke (Nottingham Panthers), Russell Cowley (Coventry Blaze), Robert Dowd (Sheffield Steelers), Sam Duggan (Orebro, Sweden), Robert Farmer (Nottingham Panthers), Robert Lachowicz (Nottingham Panthers), Evan Mosey (Rockford Ice Hogs, USA), Matthew Myers (Cardiff Devils), Craig Peacock (Braehead Clan), Jonathan Phillips (Sheffield Steelers), Colin Shields (Belfast Giants), Liam Stewart (Coventry Blaze).

World Championship fixtures in Belfast:

Sunday, April 23: Netherlands 1, Japan 6; GB 4, Croatia 2; Estonia 0, Lithuania 3.

Monday, April 24: Japan 4 Croatia 2; Lithuania 8, Netherlands 0; GB 5, Estonia 1.

Wednesday, April 26: 12.30pm Japan v Estonia; 4pm Netherlands v Croatia; 7.30pm GB v Lithuania.

Friday, April 28: 12.30pm Lithuania v Japan, 4pm Croatia v Estonia; 7.30pm.

Saturday, April 29: 12.30pm Lithuania v Croatia; 4pm Estonia v Netherlands; 7.30pm GB v Japan.