David Simms Steelers’ ice hockey column: Sheffield men keep GB team at top table

Liverpool’s comeback was sensational. The same of Spurs, magnificent.

GB however said: Liverpool, Spurs, we will raise you.

The final game of the World Championships, 3-0 down to France, the French of all people.

GB played their best hand, 32 minutes later Ben Davies scores an overtime winner which completed the most remarkable week in the side’s recent history.

A 4-3 overtime victory and GB play in the World Pool again next year in Switzerland.

As expected our Steeler troops played their part. Ben O’Connor assisted on all three GB goals in regulation including a sublime interception and pass to Robert Dowd for the first goal.

Many had criticized Benny in the games prior to that the French encounter. Like they expected the free spirit Benny to wheel and dominate against USA and Canada like he does against Coventry and Nottingham.

O’Connor raised his game against the French. It was a ‘jump on my back’ performance as he led the way. Dowd, Hammond (Manchester) and Farmer, once of this parish in Sheffield and sadly now of that village side down the road, tied the game at 3-3. Game on, time to roll the dice.

Did you see on social media the Paul Thompson tweet about captain Jonathan Phillips? It read “Jonno is the best captain GB and the Steelers have ever had. He lives in the reeds & when it matters, when it really matters he is the Great White.” What true words about the man we know so well.

Well in overtime, at a face off in our defensive zone, Jonathan Phillips goes over to centre Ben Davies and tells him to push the puck forward from the face off: “I’ll beat the defenceman in a foot race,” he tells Davies.