GB vs. Romania

GB top table as Russell’s men keep promotion hopes alive

Great Britain  6

Romania         1

Taking great confidence from their 8-0 victory over Lithuania on Wednesday, Team GB were determined to keep their focus ahead of this clash with gold medals and promotion still up for grabs as the team took to the ice for their fourth game of the World Championships. With Istvan Gereb’s Romania occupying sixth place, having failed to win a single game in the tournament prior to this fixture, GB were far from complacent in their quest for success.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

The opening period underway, Great Britain began with some strong possession, allowing winger Robert Farmer to have a shot in the first minute of the period which was saved by composed netminder Otto Onodi. Building on this pressure, Robert Lachowicz and Jonathan Boxill linked up to thread a pass to Jonathan Phillips who fired from the slot to make it 1-0 with less than four minutes played. Continuing to hold onto possession to the best of their ability, GB’s Russell Cowley caught a glimpse of an opportunity but the skilled forward was deprived of a place on the score sheet before referee Daniel Gamper called Boxill to the sin bin following a tripping offence. Though on the penalty kill, GB defended their narrow lead whilst Romania struggled to place the puck past sturdy shot stopper, Ben Bowns.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Making amends for his earlier transgression, Boxill was reinstated in play only to find the back of Onodi’s net; Jonathan Phillips turning assist to allow his line mate to double GB’s lead. Less than two minutes later, it was the turn of Romania to go on the penalty kill when Hugo Gecse was sinbinned for a hooking offence. GB sought a power play goal but chances for Robert Dowd and blue liner Stephen Lee failed to make their mark on the game and soon after, Romania returned to full strength having successfully killed the penalty. Just twenty two seconds later, it was the turn of Farmer to head to the box for hooking as Romania were handed a second power play. Again, Gereb’s line up struggled to achieve their first goal of the game, even with the advantage, and as a result GB were able to head in at the break with their two goal lead intact.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

As both teams returned for the second period, GB were eager to extend their lead to put the game beyond doubt whilst Romania were still searching for a goal to get back in the game.  Romania’s plan was immediately offset by Istvan Nagy’s concession of a tripping penalty on 21:06. Working hard to make the most of their additional skater, GB were able to light the lamp with six seconds of their power play remaining when Farmer hit home from the left circle, following chances from both David Clarke and Evan Mosey prior to this.

The score line 3-0, Romania found it increasingly difficult to trouble Bowns and were again let down by their lack of discipline as ‘D’ man Norbert Rokaly found himself warming a seat in the sin bin for hooking. Though GB failed to capitalise on this occasion, a little over a minute later referee Gamper side-lined Szilard Orban for tripping to reduce Romania to four men once again. Twenty three seconds later, Orban was joined by forward Ervin Moldován-Horváth to give GB a considerable power play of five on three but attempts from Clarke and fellow forward Colin Shields were not enough to extend GB’s lead. A fourth penalty for Romania proved to be one too many however, as the side handed GB another four seconds of five on three and a further one minute fifty six seconds on the advantage. With too many scoring chances failing to bolster GB’s lead, it was Shields’ deflected shot which eventually punished Romania on 33:19, the side trailing by four goals to nil courtesy of assists from defencemen Ben O’Connor and Jonathan Weaver.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

This the last of the action for the second stanza, GB iced in the third period aware that victory was within touching distance. Outshooting their opposition once again, Cowley came closest to finding the back of the net when he smashed the puck against the post. Minutes later, Welsh forward Matthew Myers claimed GB’s fifth goal as Clarke snatched his first assist of the game. Less than a minute later, Shields took two minutes for tripping to give Romania a power play but it was clear that GB’s penalty kill was effective once more as the side returned to full strength.

Subsequent to this, defenceman Alpar Sallo conceded a penalty for hooking to give GB the advantage of five on four and just over a minute later, Onodi was again picking the puck from his net as Weaver fired goalwards on 54:13 to grab his second of the World Championships. This time, Romania’s response was rapid though as Moldován-Horváth’s five-hole shot beat Bowns to obliterate GB’s shutout. With less than five minutes remaining, this effort proved to be merely a consolation for Romania as GB held on to accomplish their fourth consecutive win of the tournament, the side now on eleven points with four victories to their name. Promotion now rides on GB’s result against Ukraine; a draw enough to see Russell’s team claim gold and promotion to Division 1A. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

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