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$50 million man too much for GB

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Austria 10 - 5 Team GB

Thomas Vanek, the Buffalo Sabres $50 million man was just too good for a brave GB team in Game Two of their World Championship campaign in Austria against the home nation on Monday evening. With period scores of 4-3 / 3-0 / 3-2, GB were on the back end of a 10-5 score line.

The hugely talented Austrian team were on the back foot in the opening minutes as first Owen and then Longstaff went close for GB, forcing the number one seeds into some desperate defending. However, it was the Austrians that took the lead in their first attack of the game when defenseman Penwal tapped home a shot from Welser that Stevie Lyle couldn't hold on to.

GB's plan of playing a tight game went out of the window as the period became a turkey shoot with GB levelling through the impressive Chambers before the hosts then hit two quick goals (Kaspitz and Gruber) to lead 3-1. GB's heads didn't go down and Ashley Tait pulled GB back to within one and in end to end action, back came the Austrians to double their lead (Setzinger) before Coventry's Tommy Watkins hammered home the goal of the game for a 4-3 first period score.

Whilst it was interesting for the fans, it was a headache for the coaches who had preached a tight defensive game before the start. GB were starting to take penalties as the number one seeds pressed forward, first Koch, then Interluggaur (power play) made it 6-3 before a third power play goal came late in the period as Vanek started to have more of an impact in the game.

Paul Thompson changed Stevie Lyle for Stephen Murphy in goal for the final period, however he was quickly beaten, first by a 5-on-3 power play goal (Vanek's 2nd) and a 5-on-4 power play strike from Setzinger (2nd)), the crowd were baying for British blood and their hero Vanek duly obliged with his hat trick goal and number ten for the home side. GB hit back with a power play effort of their own from David Clarke with just under four minutes left for a disappointing score line of Austria 10-5 Team GB

GB have Wednesday off before their next game with South Korea.

STANDINGS:

after games of 14th April

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