Great Britain will once again play in the top division of the IIHF World Championship in 2022.
This year’s tournament is being hosted in Tampere, Finland, with GB guaranteed to play seven games as they seek to preserve their status at the top table.
With Belarus and Russia expelled due to the ongoing invasion in Ukraine, there are eight teams in both groups.
GB line-up in Group B, alongside the hosts, USA, Czechia, Sweden, Latvia, Norway and Austria.
The teams will play each other once, with the top four progressing to the quarter-finals.
The bottom-placed team will be relegated to Division I A for 2023.
Great Britain 2022 World Championship schedule
Great Britain’s campaign starts with a game against Czechia on Saturday (2.20pm UK time), and finishes on Monday May 23 against Austria.
- Saturday May 14 – Czech Republic v Great Britain – 4.20pm BST (2.20pm local)
- Sunday May 15 – Norway v Great Britain 10.20am (12.20pm)
- Tuesday May 17 – Sweden v Great Britain 6.20pm (8.20pm)
- Thursday May 19 – Great Britain v USA 2.20pm (4.20pm)
- Friday May 20 – Great Britain v Finland 2.20pm (4.20pm)
- Sunday May 22 – Great Britain v Latvia 2.20pm (4.20pm)
- Monday May 22 – Austria v Great Britain 6.20pm (8.20pm)
2022 IIHF World Championship 2022 Groups
Group A: Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia, Denmark, Kazakhstan, Italy, France.
Group B: Finland, USA, Czech Republic, Sweden, Latvia, Norway, Great Britain, Austria
TV coverage
Every GB game is being shown live on FreeSports.
FreeSports will also televise a selection of other group matches, as well as two of the quarter-final matches, the two semi-finals and the bronze and gold medal matches.
FreeSports is available, free-to-air, via Freeview Channel 65, Sky channel 422, Virgin 553, TalkTalk 64 and BT TV channel 64.
It is also available online at freesportsplayer.tv
The full list of televised games is (all on FreeSports):
- Friday May 13 – USA v Latvia – 2.15pm
- Saturday May 14 – Czech Republic v Great Britain – 2.15pm
- Sunday May 15 – Norway v Great Britain – 10.15am
- Tuesday May 17 – Sweden v Great Britain – 6.15pm
- Wednesday May 18 – Finland v Sweden – 6.15pm
- Thursday May 19 – Great Britain v USA – 2.15pm
- Friday May 20 – Great Britain v Finland – 2.15pm
- Saturday May 21 – USA v Sweden – 10.15am
- Sunday May 22 – Great Britain v Latvia – 2.15pm
- Monday May 23 – USA v Czech Republic – 2.15pm
- Monday May 23 – Austria v Great Britain – 6.15pm
- Tuesday May 24 – Sweden v Latvia – 10.15am
- Tuesday May 24 – Finland v Czech Republic – 6.15pm
- Thursday May 26 – Quarter Final – 2.15pm
- Thursday May 26 – Quarter Final – 6.15pm
- Saturday May 28 – Semi Final – 12.15pm
- Saturday May 28 – Semi Final 2 – 4.15pm
- Sunday May 29 – Bronze Medal – 1.15pm
- Sunday May 29 – Gold Medal – 6.15pm
Previous World Championships
This is Great Britain’s third consecutive appearance in the top division of the IIHF World Championships.
After being promoted for the 2019 event, they recorded a stunning 4-3 overtime win over France to retain their place.
The 2020 edition was postponed due to COVID, and there was no relegation from the 2021 top division.
In 2021, GB recorded a memorable 4-3 win over Belarus to finish above them in the group – as well as going down to a 3-2 overtime defeat against Denmark.
Of the teams in GB’s group this year, they faced Czech Republic and Sweden in 2021, losing 6-1 and 4-1 respectively.
The eventual winners in 2021 were Canada, who secured their 27th title, ahead of Finland (silver medal), USA (bronze medal) and Germany.
Great Britain roster for 2022 IIHF World Championships
The initial squad announced by coach Pete Russell.
Netminders: Jackson Whistle (Belfast Giants), Ben Bowns (HK Dukla Trencin), Jordan Hedley (Coventry Blaze)
Defencemen: Dallas Ehrhardt (Manchester Storm), David Phillips (Sheffield Steelers), Mark Richardson (Cardiff Devils), Josh Tetlow (Nottingham Panthers), Ben O’Connor (HSC Csikszereda), Sam Jones (Sheffield Steelers), David Clements (Coventry Blaze), Josh Batch (Cardiff Devils)
Forwards: Ben Davies (Cardiff Devils), Robert Lachowicz (Guildford Flames), Matthew Myers (Nottingham Panthers), Brett Perlini (Ringerike Panthers), Sam Duggan (Cardiff Devils), Lewis Hook (Belfast Giants), Luke Ferrera (Coventry Blaze), Jonathan Phillips (Sheffield Steelers), Evan Mosey (Sheffield Steelers), Scott Conway (Belfast Giants), Robert Dowd (Sheffield Steelers), Ben Lake (Belfast Giants), Cade Neilson (Aberdeen Wings), Josh Waller (Cardiff Devils)
