Preparations go well for GB

Head coach Paul Thompson's side fly out to Ljubljana on Friday before opening their Division One, Group B campaign against Croatia the following day.

They will then face further tests against Korea, Slovenia, Hungary and Poland as they attempt to at least repeat the bronze medal they won in last year's event.

Thompson, who guided Coventry Blaze to the Elite League title earlier this month, will have been pleased to see his young side follow-up Saturday's 4-2 victory in Nottingham with a 2-0 triumph at Ice Sheffield yesterday.

Missing several key players through either injury or club commitments – including AHL defenceman David Phillips, Italian-based forward Ashley Tait and Sheffield Steelers' blue liner Mark Thomas – the hosts impressed against a side ranked just one place below them in the IIHF world rankings at No 25.

On Saturday, debutant Craig Peacock proved the star turn scoring twice as the home side got off to a flier by taking a 3-0 lead in the first period, the other goal coming from his Belfast Giants team-mate Colin Shields.

The Netherlands hit back through Casey Van Schagen and Stanislav Nazarov to make it a one-goal game midway through the third before Matt Myers scored on the empty net with 18 seconds remaining.

Peacock was on target again in Sheffield, scoring at 9.17 before Mark Garside doubled the lead at 47.15.

Sheffield Steelers' trio of Jason Hewitt, Jonathan Phillips and Rob Dowd all got in on the act on Saturday, each gabbing one assist.

SLOUGH Jets' Blaz Emersic sealed a dramatic English Premier League play-off win over Guildford Flames when his controversial penalty shot two minutes into overtime gave his side a 2-1 victory in Coventry.