Ice Hockey World Championship 2019: When two Big Bens struck for GB
- Published
Ben Bowns makes a save for Great Britain against France at the 2019 Ice Hockey World Championships in Slovakia
It was a moment of history for British ice hockey, and when the time came at the World Championship in Slovakia it was not just one Big Ben that struck, but two.
The clock was running down on Great Britain's first appearance among the sport's elite in a quarter of a century.
Their first half-dozen games produced brave defeats by Germany and the United States, but also heavy losses to Canada, Denmark, Finland and hosts Slovakia.
Victory in a final game against France would extend their stay in the top tier to a second year for the first time ever, but that looked unlikely when they trailed 3-0.
Sudden death drama
Suddenly something chimed: three comeback goals took the match to sudden death. It was overtime. It was Ben time.
Cardiff Devils' netminder Ben Bowns had been the standout GB performer for most of the week. An incredible 59 saves in the 6-3 defeat against the USA earned him a standing ovation from fans and both sets of players. A tournament topping 230 shots stopped may earn him a big-time move.
Bowns was relishing the challenge, even in an 8-0 loss to Canada. "There are 20-odd NHLer's in that team so what else can you expect?
"It was hard and it was a slog, but I think it was a lot of fun. Even though it was a high scoreline it was enjoyable and that is the only time in my life you will hear me say that."
In overtime against the French, Bowns made five more crucial game-saving stops before Ben Davies fired home an incredible GB match winner.
'Unreal' moment for match winner
Combining with fellow Cardiff-born forward Jonathan Phillips, the Guildford Flames player back-handed a status-saving, game-winning goal he described as "the best moment of my career".
Davies added: "That was unreal. I can't quite take it all in. I am almost lost for words.
"This just underlines what GB is all about. We always knew we had a chance and even at 3-0 we looked at each other and said, 'This isn't over yet'."
Netminder Bowns chimed in with his own take on the never-say-never spirit.
"The belief in that dressing room has been there from day one. We had a few set-backs, a few wake-up calls, but we pulled it out of the bag," said Bowns.
The victory over France is a potential game-changer for hockey in Great Britain. Survival at the top level provides a better chance of qualifying for the Winter Olympics and with it a platform to develop the game's profile in the UK.
But that is for the future, and for now there's a moment in time to savour. As Davies reflected; "Everyone played their part. It was something very, very special to be involved in."
Ben Davies celebrates scoring the over-time winning goal for Great Britain against France