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Hat-Trick hero Owen sets up medal game

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Team GB 8-1 Holland

Basingstoke Bison forward Greg Owen chose the perfect time to score his first professional hat trick as GB demolished Holland 8-1 and in doing so set up a possible Silver medal game against Kazakhstan on Saturday. (depending on the result tonight between Austria and Kazakhstan otherwise Bronze medal game).

GB looked the sharper, better organised team from the start and were on the scoreboard in the 6th minute when Owen picked up a pass from his Bison team mate Greg Chambers that cut the Dutch defence in half. Holland goalie Groeneveld might have been the highest ranked goalie in the competition, but Owen's shot sailed past him into the top corner.

Chambers and Owen had their third different line mate in three games as Jonathan Phillips joined them and it was he who scored the second as he drove the net to pick up on a great play from Chambers who had mesmerised the Dutch defence. GB though didn't have it all their own way taking four minor penalties giving a talented Dutch side a chance to stay in a game that they never looked like doing so when playing 5-on-5. The penalty kill held strong and the impressive Stephen Murphy looked solid in goal at all times.

GB weathered further penalties at the start of the second period as the defence stood firm, and when back 5-on-5 Paul Thompson's men took control hitting four unanswered goals in a 10-minute spell between 28.34 and 37.45 with strikes from Owen (power play), Weaver, Chambers and Tommy Watkins. Chambers, who has been outstanding all week, was once again controlling the play all over the ice and looking dangerous in every shift.

With a 6-0 advantage many teams would have eased, but even when killing a penalty at the start of the final period Chambers pounced and scored a short handed breakaway goal for 7-0. By this time the sorry looking Dutch had changed their goalie and were looking more dejected as they prepare for a relegation game with Korea on Saturday.

Owen rounded off the scoring in the 48th minute as he re-directed a Chambers shot past the helpless Dutch goalie to register his first hat trick in professional hockey. The only negative of the afternoon was Stephen Murphy losing his shut out with just 58 seconds to go as the Dutch side ended the game on another two-man advantage.

Team GB now play Kazakhstan on Saturday afternoon in the medal game.

Hat trick hero Greg Owen said, "Firstly the win was huge, it sets up a great final day and that's important. As a team I thought we played solid for sixty minutes. Sure we took a few penalties, but we were competing all night, when we took the penalties we killed them hard and well.

"I thought that Jonathan Phillips complimented Greg Chambers and I well this afternoon, we seemed to click right off the start. His speed creates openings for the pair of us, he also gets to the net well, you got to see that on our second goal, he drove the net and battled out in front to just outmuscle the Dutch defender. My goals were all different, a nice slap shot top shelf, a battling effort picking up a rebound and then a re-direct on a Chambers wrist shot. It's my first hat trick and for it to come in such a game, and such an important performance as this is fantastic.

"This team is still so young, but coming of age. Everyone is playing for each other, backing each other up and now we are so confident, you can tell that in our play. We are all excited to be playing in a medal game tomorrow, what an achievement that would be if we could answer the critics and bring medal home."

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