Ice Hockey: Britain take fourth place at the World Championship

Apr 21 2008 by Terry Phillips, South Wales Echo

GREAT Britain finished fourth in their World Championship ice hockey group in Austria.

Hosts Austria emerged winners ahead of Kazakhstan and Poland, while Holland and Korea were below GB.

In their final match, GB lost 3-1 against highly-rated Kazakhstan.

“I couldn’t have asked for any more from the players,” said GB coach Paul Thompson. “I am proud of every player.

“With a bit of luck we might have brought the silver medal home with us.

“We have progressed so much in the last 18 months and that will continue. We are getting better, the programme is getting better and we have the Olympic qualifiers coming up in February to look forward to.

“Every player should go home proud of their improvement and performances out here. We collected one more point than last year and have nothing but positives to take away with us.”

Britain held Kazakhstan, who are 11 world ranking places above them, until five minutes from the end. Netminder Stephen Murphy stopped 45 shots and was Britain’s man of the match.

Britain won two and lost three, one of those after overtime, over the week.