World Championship Division I Group A
Great Britain 5-3 Italy
The task at hand was simple, at least on paper, for Great Britain.
A point to earn a promotion and any kind of victory to claim the gold medal in the process.
As the only unbeaten nation in the tournament and with the backing of a large vocal crowd, surely Great Britain would ensure their return to the top tier of World Championship hockey.
First Period
There was no love lost between the two teams and that was born out of an early altercation. Despite a late whistle for icing, Thomas Larkin took it upon himself to deliver a shuddering hit on Matthew Myers, who had pulled up on the play.
The officials deemed Larkin had committed no infraction, while Myers had to be helped off the ice in apparent agony.
Myers would later return but far from 100%.
The result was a fractious first five minutes in which both nations attempted to outhit the other, with some of a dubious nature.
Great Britain was first to the power play after Mike Hammond was tripped and made the opportunity count.
On a nicely worked play, Hammond found Brett Perlini positioned at the backdoor for a tap-in.
Ben Bowns kept the lead intact with an excellent stop to deny Daniel Mantenuto but Italy would respond in kind at the eleven-minute mark.
Larkin scored on a delayed penalty to tie the game at 1-1.
There was a good response from the hosts after watching their lead vanish.
Hammond went close on a rebound chance and Justin Fazio made a smart save to turn aside Josh Waller after good work from Ben Lake.
Great Britain failed to make it 2-from-2 on a late power play and the teams would be deadlocked through twenty minutes.
Second Period
To say the middle frame was a wild ride would be understating the point.
Great Britain and Italy traded blows like heavyweight boxers, though it was the hosts who were playing the better hockey.
GB got off to a perfect start, netting in 59 seconds.
Robert Dowd feasted on an Italy turnover below the goal line and found Cade Neilson by the side of the goal.
Neilson gave Fazio the eyes, as he faked a pass to Ollie Betteridge before slotting a low shot past the Italian netminder.
Neilson and Liam both went close on the next two shifts as the hosts were now flying with the lead and a raucous crowd in full flow.
It was somewhat of a body blow when GB gifted a tying goal via a turnover three minutes later.
Alex Petan made no mistake with an emphatic finish
Again the hosts responded positively, re-taking the lead just before the midway point.
Mike Hammond seized upon an Italy mistake and produced a top-draw finish to beat Fazio.
Great Britain proceeded to do everything but score with Kirk seemingly snakebitten in front of the goal.
To credit Italy, they were clinical on their opportunities and tied the game for a third time as GB were caught with too many men above the puck.
Daniel Glira scored to the delight of his teammates with a little over five minutes remaining in the second period.
Rather than be frustrated at the transpiring events, GB remained focused on the task at hand.
Liam Kirk drew a penalty as he was hauled down crossing the blue line.
The host nation retained possession and duly scored on the delayed penalty. A crisp passing move that saw Kirk and Hammond tee up Perlini for his second of the game to put GB ahead 4-3.
The crowd erupted as if it were the winning goal such was the relief and ecstasy rolled into one, at once more inching ahead.
Third Period
Twenty minutes away from a gold medal and promotion.
Could Great Britain see out the game?
They made hard work of it by being incredibly passive in possession and struggling to make the breakout plays that led to success in the middle frame.
Bowns made a crucial double save to deny Daniel Tedesco and Mantenuto at the six-minute mark.
Italy recorded just seven shots through the final frame but generated two other Grade-A chances.
Both robbed Petan and Tommaso Traversa from close range to keep the narrow lead intact.
The home crowd were baying for an insurance marker and Waller went close to delivering with seven minutes left. He created a partial breakaway from nothing but couldn’t apply a killer touch.
With Italy forced to pull Fazio for an extra attacker, GB finally scored the decisive fifth goal.
Kirk charged to chase down the puck behind the Italian goal, caused a turnover and delivered a pass back into the slot for the onrushing Neilson.
Despite the adrenaline that must have been pumping through his veins, Neilson remained calm enough to slot home into the vacant cage to cue wild celebrations.
The POP in the Nottingham arena was something to behold as 5500+ fans roared their delight at that moment.
The heartbreak of last year’s relegation was now a distant memory and the seconds wound down to a historic moment in British national team hockey.
The celebrations were as you would have expected.
There was a lot of pressure on this group to deliver and they duly did.
Winning all five games and never once trailing in the tournament.
The group’s biggest asset is its camaraderie and complete buy-in to Pete Russell’s coaching system.
Post Game Notes
A breakout game for Mike Hammond. He appeared to struggle at times through the tournament but when it mattered most he delivered. A sumptuous goal and a pair of inch-perfect assists.
Cade Neilson and Brett Perlini both bagged a pair of goals. Great Britain’s weakness of years past is not so now. They can generate offence and cause most international teams problems.
Ben Bowns was named netminder of the tournament. He came up with some key saves in the third period. Bowns finished the tournament with three shutouts to his name and a 93.46 save percentage.
Liam Kirk finished the tournament second in scoring with ten points (3G/7A)
Player of the Game: Mike Hammond
Scoring
Brett Perlini 2-0-2
Cade Neilson 2-0-2
Liam Kirk 0-2-2
Mike Hammond 1-2-3
Evan Mosey 0-1-1
Ollie Betteridge 0-1-1
Robert Dowd 0-1-1
Extended highlights
Line-Up
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