Team Great Britain has had a rough time during their first return to the top tier of World Championship hockey since 1994. But, in amongst the shellacking and beatdowns, the team never once gave up. Finnish coach Jukka Jalonen even commented of Team GB, after Finland’s 5-0 win over them, that, “I think Great Britain played very well today. They fought hard, played well together, and made it very hard for us to score.”
Goaltender Ben Bowns posted 227 saves in seven games, but his world-class backstopping was never quite enough to buoy Great Britain to a win. And so, Great Britain entered Monday needing to beat a far more experienced French side, who have been competing at the top tier of World Championship hockey since 2008.
A win of any kind would keep Great Britain in the top division, with the IIHF tie-breaker for teams on the same points being the winner of the matchup. A loss of any kind would send them back to Division I-A.
Welshman Ben Davies ensured that the Team GB hockey dream would remain alive through 2020. Davies deked French goaltender Florian Hardy and sent a backhand shot into the net, giving them a 4-3 overtime win, and Team GB went as wild as they might have had they won gold.
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Things looked almost insurmountable as France took a quick 3-0 lead in the second period. But with a now-characteristic dogged determination, Team GB fought back, netting three unanswered goals of their own in response to France, which was good enough to send the crucial game to overtime.
The win also marked the first time that Great Britain would compete at the top level in back-to-back years since 1950-1951.
.@TeamGBicehockey HAS DONE IT! They remain in the top tier of #IIHFWorlds #FRAGBR pic.twitter.com/8UC87VHv32
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 20, 2019
But Team Great Britain, despite their euphoric celebrations, remained humble about their win and their performance throughout the 2019 campaign. Huddled together on the ice, jumping up and down, they chanted, “We’re sh*t, and we know we are.”
Pure. Joy. @TeamGBicehockey #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/wBSIfrLxtt
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 20, 2019
Ranked 22nd in the world at the point of entering the 16-team tournament, Team Great Britain was always going to have a tough battle on their hands. Especially in a group that featured Canada, USA, Finland, and Germany.
Oh the memes. #IIHFWorlds #TEAMGB pic.twitter.com/47vzvJJVrS
— Thomas Moffitt (@Thomas_Moffitt) May 20, 2019
However, they dared to dream, and that dream came true.
Headline photo: Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images
