Great Britain captain Jonathan Phillips says the two matches against KHL side Torpedo will be the perfect way to end preparations in the UK for next month’s World Championship in Slovakia.
GB play Torpedo on Phillips’ home ice at the Fly DSA Arena Sheffield on Sunday (4pm), a day after facing the same side in the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham.
GB face Germany, Canada, Denmark, USA, Finland, Slovakia and France from 11th to 20th May in Kosice as they play in their first top-flight World Championship for 25 years.
Phillips said: “Training camp has gone great so far and we have had two excellent games against Italy and Hungary. They were two really tough encounters but we took a lot from them for sure.
“The squad has been together for over a week now and you can see that things are really clicking into place.
“I expect Torpedo to be formidable opposition, just like Riga were back in February. It was a fantastic night against Riga in Coventry and I am sure these two games will be no different.
“Playing in Sheffield will be special too. It is not often that I have had the chance to pull on a GB jersey on home ice so I am really looking forward to that.
“These two games against Torpedo will be perfect preparations for what lies ahead of us in Slovakia next month.”
GB make their return to ice hockey’s elite for the first time since 1994 and it is a prospect that Phillips is relishing.
“I am not going to lie,” said Phillips. “I am really looking forward to the test ahead of us in Slovakia.
“We have had a fantastic few years as a team with two successive promotions and have worked so hard to get ourselves into this position.
“To be playing the best players in the world next month will be really special and something I know everyone is looking forward to doing.”