GREAT BRITAIN 1-4 BELFAST GIANTS

Great Britain were beaten 4-1 by Belfast Giants at the Vindico Arena in Cardiff in their final game ahead of the Olympic Qualifiers with take place next weekend.

Defenceman Archie Hazeldine and forward Kieran Brown missed out again through injury. Ben Bowns started between the pipes with Lucas Brine as back-up.

Joe Cassetti scored on a second-period powerplay (22:29) to give Giants the lead and Johnny Curran was denied by Jackson Whistle on a short-handed breakaway.

Mack Stewart crossed the puck across the slot to Mark Cooper who doubled Belfast’s advantage (31:19).

Whistle made a huge save to stop Brett Perlini’s effort on a powerplay in the third period, before Pierre-Olivier Morin stepped out from behind the net to beat Bowns to score Belfast’s third.

GB pushed hard to get on the board and Curran set-up Robert Lachowicz but his shot was well saved by Whistle.

The goal GB deserved arrived in the closing stages as strong work from Josh Waller saw him fend-off the Giants defence and score near-side past Whistle (57:08).

Ciaran Long dumped the puck in behind the net and it took a wicked bounce off the boards right into the path of Cassetti who scored his second into an unguarded net to complete the scoring (59:10).