Great Britain ended the 2024 World Championship on a high with a 4-2 victory over Austria at the O2 Arena in Prague.
Netminder Lucas Brine was awarded his debut cap as he served as back-up to starting goalie Ben Bowns.
Ben Davies won his 50th cap while Ben Lake was named Alternate Captain in the absence of Liam Kirk.
No goals in quiet first period
Bowns made a good save with his pad to deny Austria forward Marco Rossi in the opening stages and then stopped Benjamin Nissner’s shot from the point.
At the other end, GB’s best chance saw Lake cut inside off the right-wing with a good piece of skill but his shot was saved by David Kickert.
O’Connor scores superb equaliser for GB
Austria went ahead on the powerplay through Clemens Unterweger’s blast from just inside the blueline (22:40)
Robert Dowd was denied by a wonder glove save by Kickert on a five-on-three powerplay, but moments later Lake won the face-off and Ben O’Connor fired the puck into the top corner to equalise (27:42).
GB carried the momentum for the rest of the period with Dowd, Davies, Evan Mosey and Ollie Betteridge all having good chances.
Perlini, Mosey and Dowd secure victory for GB
GB went ahead on the powerplay as Dowd’s pass towards goal took a deflection off a skate and Brett Perlini scored at the backdoor (41:59).
Austria came back strong and Bowns made a good save to deny Dominic Zwerger, before Mosey scored GB’s second with a neat move on the netminder from close-range (50:23).
Dowd scored into an empty net with Kickert lifted for the extra outskater (55:31), before Austria scored a late powerplay goal through Mario Huber at the backdoor (59:15_.
Great Britain World Championship schedule and results
Saturday 11th May – Great Britain 2-4 Canada – Goals: Liam Kirk, Ben O’Connor
Sunday 12th May – Finland 8-0 Great Britain
Wednesday 15th May – Switzerland 3-0 Great Britain
Friday 17th May – Great Britain 3-4 Denmark – Goals: Liam Kirk, Cade Neilson, Nathanael Halbert
Saturday 18th May – Czechia 4-1 Great Britain – Goal: Evan Mosey
Monday 20th May – Great Britain 2-5 Norway – Goals: Brett Perlini, Ollie Betteridge
Tuesday 21st May – Austria 2-4 Great Britain – Goals: Ben O’Connor, Brett Perlini, Evan Mosey, Robert Dowd