Dowd stays cool to secure GB’s second-tier status

Tony Hand’s side went into the match in Slovenia knowing a point would be enough to see them finish above bottom team Ukraine, who had earlier defeated Japan 2-1 after a shoot-out to keep themselves in the tournament.

But the British team produced a stunning effort, with tournament star and former Sheffield Steelers’ favourite Robert Dowd proving to be the hero once again, skilfully dispatching a penalty shot in the 49th minute to seal victory and condemning Ukraine to relegation.

“The situation of needing at least one point against a very strong team was difficult,” said GB head coach Tony Hand.

“But my guys battled hard and I told them to play as if their lives depended on it. All credit to my guys, they battled hard and dug in.

“My guys were a credit to their country tonight and we’re very happy to stay in this pool.

“I think it’s a great result and, because the pool was so tough this year, you don’t have your weaker teams at the bottom.

“For us it’s huge, because obviously we want to progress and if you go down there’s no guarantee of coming back up.”

Up until Dowd’s ability to remain calm under intense pressure on the ice, Britain had put its supporters - both in the arena and the thousands back home following in a variety of ways on the internet - through a number of highs and lows.

Japan’s failure to take two points from their match against Ukraine meant Hungary went into their encounter with Britain knowing they had already secured the bronze meal.

But any thoughts that they might lack intensity as a result of landing third place were soon put to bed in a match which saw them take the lead on three separate occasions, only to be pegged back by a tenacious British side.

It was Britain, however, who actually struck first on Saturday afternoon, with captain and Steelers’ forward Jonathan Phillips seizing on a neat pass from Robert Lachowicz at 1.53.

But the Hungarians were level less than two minutes later through Marton Vas and were ahead at 6.54 through Csaba Kovacs.

In what was already a difficult task, Britain suffered a further blow in the eighth minute when Corey Neilson received a game misconduct following a boarding call, further depleting a defensive unit which was only six-strong to begin with.

But Britain killed off the subsequent five-minute penalty and were more than a match for their opponents. Evidence of their growing confidence came at 17.43 when Dowd scored his first of the evening to level matters on the powerplay.

After the break, Hungary soon restored their lead at 21.40 when Istvan Sofron converted a penalty shot. Penalties were traded and it was when Britain were on the man advantage that they again found a way past Krisztian Budai, Owen Fussey converting a feed from Matt Meyers at 34.02.

But the Hungarians were not finished there and took the lead for a third time just over two minutes later through an Arpad Mihaly shot from the point.

But after spending two minutes in the penalty box on a hooking call, Nottingham Panthers’ David Clarke quickly made amends, making it 4-4 with only 16 seconds to go in the second period.

Britain again outshot their opponents in the third period and looked comfortable throughout, particularly after Dowd stepped up to convert the penalty shot opportunity that proved to be the game-winning goal for his team.