GB coach Pete Russell feels he has the balance right for World Championships

The trio all played a part in two warm-up games against Poland at the weekend, O’Connor scoring an overtime winner for a 3-2 triumph in Coventry on Sunday, 24 hours after the visitors had triumphed 4-3 at Nottingham’s National Ice Centre.

Rotherham-born goaltender Ben Bowns, of Cardiff Devils, is also on the squad, along with former Steelers’ forwards Ashley Tait, Robert Farmer and Colin Shields.

Hull-born defencemen David Phillips, of Manchester Storm, and Steve Lee, of Nottingham Panthers, also line up alongside one another in Zagreb.

Sheffield Steelers' Jonathan Phillips - one of three players from the South Yorkshire club to have made the final 23-man squad for the world championships.

Russell’s team - the tournament’s second seeds - open their Division 1B campaign on Sunday against hosts Croatia before facing off against Estonia, Lithuania and Romania ahead of completing their schedule against top seeds Ukraine.

Russell said: “I think we have a deep team and a good balance.

“There is a real hunger in this team and that is so good to see.

“There were some huge decisions to make. All the guys made it very tough on the coaching team, which is what they were here to do.

“They all competed hard against each other every session and conducted themselves well on and off the ice at all times.”

GB SQUAD – Netminders: Ben Bowns (Cardiff Devils), Stevie Lyle (Swindon Wildcats), Thomas Murdy (Telford Tigers).

Defencemen: Josh Batch (Cardiff Devils), Mark Garside (Belfast Giants), Steve Lee (Nottingham Panthers), Ben O’Connor (Sheffield Steelers), David Phillips (Manchester Storm), Mark Richardson (Cardiff Devils), Jonathan Weaver (Telford Tigers).

Forwards: Jonathan Boxill (Belfast Giants), David Clarke (Nottingham Panthers), Russell Cowley (Coventry Blaze), Robert Dowd (Sheffield Steelers), Robert Farmer (Nottingham Panthers), Robert Lachowicz (Nottingham Panthers), Evan Mosey (Nottingham Panthers), Matthew Myers (Nottingham Panthers), Craig Peacock (Belfast Giants), Jonathan Phillips (Sheffield Steelers), Colin Shields (Belfast Giants), Ashley Tait (Coventry Blaze), Ross Venus (Coventry Blaze).