Great Britain have named a 28-man squad for a training camp and two matches against Poland ahead of this year’s World Championship (Division 1B) in Belfast.
GB will play games against Poland at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham on Friday 14th April 2017 (7:30pm) and in Coventry’s Skydome on Saturday 15th April 2017 (1pm).
The squad will be cut to 23 ahead of the World Championship, where GB will face Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Japan from 23rd to 29th April 2017.
There’s a first-call up to a GB squad for Fife Flyers forward Brendan Brooks.
Head coach, Pete Russell, said: “We are delighted with our final 28 players.
“This was the toughest group to select but the coaches feel we have picked the right balance and the right group. There was so much competition across the board.
“From the Norway games we felt some guys really put themselves into the picture and that was a positive outcome.
“We have a good balance of offence and defence. I think it’s the strongest team we have selected in the two years we have been involved as coaches.
“We have been challenged to win a gold medal by the association and to do it on home soil.
“It’s going to be a wonderful experience and we need everyone behind the whole group. Let’s all pull together, be positive and believe this is our year.”
Netminders
Ben Bowns – Cardiff Devils
Stephen Murphy – Belfast Giants
Jackson Whistle – Belfast Giants
Defence
Josh Batch – Cardiff Devils
Mark Garside – Belfast Giants
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
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
Luke Ferrara – Sheffield Steelers
Robert Lachowicz – Nottingham Panthers
Evan Mosey – Rockford Ice Hogs (USA)
Matthew Myers – Cardiff Devils
Craig Peacock – Braehead Clan
Jonathan Phillips – Sheffield Steelers
Jack Prince – Manchester Storm
Colin Shields – Belfast Giants
Liam Stewart – Coventry Blaze
Ross Venus – Coventry Blaze
To buy tickets for GB against Poland at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham, visit the NIC box office in person, log on to the National Ice Centre website at www.motorpointarenanottingham.com or telephone 0843 373 3000. GBSC members have been allocated block 9 and away supporters block 4.
To buy tickets for GB against Poland at the Skydome in Coventry, visit the Skydome box office in person, log on to www.planet-ice.co.uk/arena/Coventry and ‘Ice Hockey Tickets’ or call 02476 630 693.