Team Great Britain secured an immediate return to the IIHF World Championship top flight with a clinical 3-0 win over Poland, sealing promotion in style after a rocky start to the Division 1A tournament in Romania.
Pete Russell’s side delivered a composed performance in their final outing, backed by a stellar 40-save shutout from Ben Bowns and timely offensive contributions from across the lineup.
Josh Waller opened the scoring late in the first period, pouncing on a rebound from Tomas Fucik to give Team GB a deserved lead after sustained pressure.
Robert Dowd doubled the advantage midway through the second, reacting first to a blocked Joseph Hazeldine shot to find twine from close range.
Ollie Betteridge sealed the result in the final frame with a powerplay goal, assisted by Waller and Bowns — who capped finished the tournament with a blistering .961 save percentage.
Takeaway 1 — It’s a simple formula: crash the net, score goals
Team GB’s promotion-sealing win over Poland was built on gritty, direct hockey — every goal was scored in the trenches, with Russell’s forwards crashing the crease and winning their battles in the most dangerous areas of the ice.
Josh Waller, Team GB (Image: Dean Woolley)
There was also a clear shift toward a shot-first mentality, with defencemen regularly firing pucks from the blue line to create chaos in front.
Dowd’s second-period strike summed it up perfectly — Hazeldine deked around his checker at the point and threw the puck on net, where Dowd was waiting to bury the rebound from the doorstep.
It marked a satisfying evolution for a squad that looked disjointed early in the tournament.
After stumbling out of the blocks against Ukraine, Team GB gained confidence game-by-game and finished the tournament looking the part of a top-flight side.
Takeaway 2 — Defensive growth underpinned Team GB’s promotion push
After conceding eight goals across their first three games, Team GB tightened up defensively when it mattered most — allowing just one goal in regulation over their final two matchups against Italy and Poland.
It was a decisive shift that laid the groundwork for their promotion.
Ben O’Connor, Team GB (Image: Dean Woolley)
Improved breakouts and better puck management allowed Russell’s side to control possession and play on the front foot, reducing time spent under pressure.
Nathanael Halbert led the way with a calm, composed presence on the backend, while debutant Hazeldine impressed with his decision-making under pressure.
Takeaway 3 — Team GB will take lessons from bumpy ride to promotion
Team GB’s sluggish start in Romania exposed the cost of entering a tournament cold — a reality that should give Russell and Ice Hockey UK greater leverage when planning training camps and exhibition schedules next season.
Without a pre-tournament tune-up, the Brits lacked rhythm early on. They cannot afford to repeat that mistake in the top-flight.
The return of Liam Kirk was another game-changer — his presence transformed Team GB’s attack and his continued development will make him an even more dangerous weapon on the elite stage.
Surrounded by a maturing supporting cast, Kirk won’t have to carry the load alone.
Romania felt like a coming-of-age moment for the squad’s mid-20s talent. Josh Waller, Cole Shudra, and Sam Duggan played meaningful minutes in all situations and were impactful.
Cade Neilson, at age-23, remains a star in the making.
For the fifth time in seven seasons, Team GB will compete against the likes of Canada, Sweden, and the United States. Mission accomplished.
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