Great Britain on verge of World Championships medal

Four goals in the opening 20 minutes saw Paul Thompson’s team ease to a 5-2 victory over Lithuania, who will now meet Estonia on Saturday in a battle to avoid relegation to the international game’s third tier.

For GB, however, a return to the elite division containing the likes of Canada, Russia, Sweden and the USA, remains alive, although out of reach if favourites and current group leaders Kazakhstan - who defeated them 2-1 on Monday - remain unbeaten throughout the week-long Division 1B tournament.

Nottingham Panthers’ player-coach Corey Neilson was moved up to centre from the blue line to fill in for the injured Colin Shields, and the Canadian had a hand in his side’s second goal at 13.26 when he teed up Ben O’Connor on the power play.

That followed another good start for GB when Matthew Myers found a way past Mantas Armalis at 2.31 following build-up work by Jeff Hutchins and David Phillips.

It was 3-0 at 16.59 when David Longstaff struck and the lead became four goals in the final minute of the period when David Clarke slotted home a penalty shot at 19.24.

After Lithuania had a goal disallowed on video review, Neilson got on the scoresheet with a goal for himself at the halfway mark to make it 5-0.

But GB’s hopes of a second successive shutout following Wednesday’s seven-goal rout of Estonia were ended when Peterborough Phantoms’ forward Darius Lelanas finished off a shorthanded rush at 32.56.

In the third period, former Edinburgh forward Darius Pliskauskas, who played in the EPL for the Slough Jets last season, slapped one past Murphy to make it 5-2 with just under 10 minutes remaining, but it was to prove another comfortable victory for the impressive British team.

It means Britain will now take on Poland in the final round of games for a third year running in what will be another medal-deciding match between the two rivals - what colour that medal will be won’t be clear until the final buzzer on Saturday afternoon at Kiev Sports Palace.