Posted on Thursday, April 16th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Rob Wilson once led the GB defence as a player and as a Captain, now he stands behind the bench as an assistant coach. After GB’s 3-2 win over Holland Wilson hailed the performance of Belfast’s Davey Phillips and says he is now one of the key go to players on the British team
“He was simply outstanding today” said Wilson “not only a really good game as a player but now one of the real leaders on this team and a go to guy. He has come on leaps and bounds over the last 12 months since his move to Belfast from Hull
“There were time today when we were under a lot of pressure, Davey didn’t panic once, he didn’t just clear the puck 200 feet down the ice, he skated with it, controlled the play, took the pressure of his team and team mates. I think these past few games we have really seen a key player for our future come of age.
“There are a few very good, experienced defensemen in this competition, guys with a lot of years on Davey playing for good Italian and Ukrainian teams, but he is right up there with the best of them. We have a bright future if he is patrolling the British blue line in years to come. He now looks to play a commanding role, he isn’t just happy being here and making this team he wants to be a reason we win and today against Holland he was a major reason we won”
Team GB 3 Holland 2
IIHF World Championships, Division 1B, Torun, Poland
After Tuesday’s big win against Romania, GB came into their fourth game of the World Championships in Torun, Poland knowing that a win was essential to maintain their quest for a bronze medal. In their way was a Dutch team, five places above them in the world rankings, but seeded 5th to GB’s 4th thanks to a GB victory against them in the 2008 World Championships in Austria.
Although Holland signalled their intentions early with a string of big hits, GB controlled the period right from the off and justifiably went into the first interval with a 3-0 lead. Cardiff’s Phil Hill netted the first, tapping in at the back post after a perfect pass from Mark Thomas at 8.43 and GB doubled their lead at the third attempt after Greg Chambers had forced a good save and Rob Dowd had hit the bar on the first rebound, David Longstaff made no mistake with his opportunity at 15.41.
Two minutes later it was three when a smart pass from David Clarke found Colin Shields on the right hand boards who fired in a great shot which Groeneveld in the Dutch net could only parry into the path of Ashley Tait who rifled the puck into the net at 17.26.
It was a completely different Dutch team that came out for the second period, throwing everything they could at the GB defence. They dominated the first half of the period but despite being virtually camped in front of the GB goal, they only managed to turn all their possession into a single goal, their best player, Schaafsma tapping in after a scramble in front of Lehman at 22.54.
Thanks partly to a few big saves from Lehman, GB weathered the storn and by the thirty fourth minute were back controlling the game and creating the better of the chances in front of goal, the best of them falling to Danny Meyers who saw his wrist shot ping off the post. The second period ended with GB still leading by 3 goals to 1.
The third period was more even and the only goal again went to Dutch, Schaafsma again with a redirect on a powerful shot from the blue line that gave Lehman no chance in front of goal. That goal at 57.28 set things up for a fantastic finish with chances at both ends but thanks to the save of the tournament from Lehman, GB held on to win the game 3-2 and a vital 3 points.
GB take on the hosts Poland tomorrow night at 7pm in what they hope will be the bronze medal game of the tournament. For GB to be in that position, they will need group favourites Italy to beat the hosts, Poland on Thursday night.
© 2008 Belfast Giants Limited, unless otherwise stated. Imagery © Michael Cooper Photography.
