Great Britain: U20 WJC (D2A) Tallinn 2014 discussion

[Siamese Dream]

http://www.icehockeyuk.co.uk/russell-names-u20s-squad-p194071

Great Britain Under-20s head coach Pete Russell has named his squad for December's World Championship tournament in Tallinn.

The Division 2A competition runs from 7th to 13th December 2014 and GB will face hosts Estonia, as well as Korea, Lithuania, Netherlands and Romania.

NETMINDERS
Adam Goss – Mercyhurst University (USA)
Jordan Hedley – Milton Keynes Lightning

DEFENCE
Declan Balmer – Basingstoke Bison
Callum Buglass – Swindon Wildcats
Josh Grieveson – Middlesex Black Bears (USA)
Craig Moore – Ogden Mustangs (USA)
Scott Robson – Peterborough Phantoms
Matt Selby – Basingstoke Bison
Harvey Stead – Bracknell Bees

FORWARDS
Ivan Antonov – Bracknell Bees
Ollie Betteridge – Swindon Wildcats
Glen Billing – Okanagan Hockey Academy UK
Bobby Chamberlain – Manchester Phoenix
Jordan Cownie – Milton Keynes Lightning
Sam Duggan – Orebro (Sweden)
Alex Forbes – Ogden Mustangs (USA)
Lewis Hook – Milton Keynes Lightning
Michael Stratford – Okanagan Hockey Academy UK
Floyd Taylor – Swindon Wildcats
Sam Towner – Hull Stingrays
Cameron Wynn – Basingstoke Bison
Toms Rutkis - Okanagan Hockey Academy UK

RESERVES
Denis Bell - Telford Tigers NIHL
Liam Charnock – Ogden Mustangs (USA)
Luc Johnson – Okanagan Hockey Academy UK
Cameron McGiffin – Peterborough Phantoms

Click to read more...

 

[3 Minute Minor]

0 surprises really.

Disappointing that there's no Scott Conway.

Also finally answers the question about whether or not Jones is eligible.

 

[blair3]

0 surprises really.

Disappointing that there's no Scott Conway.

Also finally answers the question about whether or not Jones is eligible.

I am really surprised if Jones is still ineligible after the rule change. I am sure that he has had two years playing in the UK after the age of 10. I guess though this will go for his brother too.

I wonder how this would effect their situation if they wanted to return to the UK to play in the Elite League. If they have to play as imports this ruling could really destroy their chance of a career in hockey.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

I am really surprised if Jones is still ineligible after the rule change. I am sure that he has had two years playing in the UK after the age of 10. I guess though this will go for his brother too.

I wonder how this would effect their situation if they wanted to return to the UK to play in the Elite League. If they have to play as imports this ruling could really destroy their chance of a career in hockey.

They'd have a better chance at a career in the EIHL as Canadians than Brits


I looked through malcolmpreen and didn't see Adam Jones playing after age 10. Checked Telford first & then the rest of the U12/U14 teams and came up with nothing.

 

[Siamese Dream]

I am really surprised if Jones is still ineligible after the rule change. I am sure that he has had two years playing in the UK after the age of 10. I guess though this will go for his brother too.

I wonder how this would effect their situation if they wanted to return to the UK to play in the Elite League. If they have to play as imports this ruling could really destroy their chance of a career in hockey.

Unless they return to the UK before they're 18 they're probably going to need ITC cards, in which case they'll be imports in the EIHL even if they're counted as EIHA trained in all the other leagues

 

[3 Minute Minor]

U20 warm up game vs. Nottingham lineup according to @TeamGBIceHockey

Goalies
*#21 Jordan Hedley
#22 Denis Bell

Defense
#1 Cameron McGiffin
*#2 Harvey Stead
*#4 Declan Balmer
#5 Edward Knaggs
#7 Ben Nethersell
*#9 Callum Buglass

Forwards
*#6 Cameron Wynn
*#8 Lewis Hook
*#11 Oliver Betteridge
*#12 Bobby Chamberlain
*#13 Glenn Billing
#14 Owen Griffiths
*#15 Sam Duggan
*#16 Sam Towner
*#17 Michael Stratford
*#18 Floyd Taylor
*#19 Ivan Antonov
#20 Toms Rutkis

* = on the final roster

7-0 after the first period

Shots on goal after the first were 23-2

9-0 after the second period

Shots on goal after the second were 37-5

10-0 final

 

[Siamese Dream]

Toms Rutkis added to the roster

http://www.icehockeyuk.co.uk/rutkis-added-to-gb-u20s-squad-p194749

Great Britain Under-20s head coach Pete Russell has added forward Toms Rutkis to his squad for next month's World Championship in Tallinn.

The 17-year-old Swindon Wildcats forward has dual citizenship with Latvia and Great Britain - and Ice Hockey UK had to check with the IIHF about the youngster's eligibility before naming him in the squad.

He will now take his place in the travelling party for next month's Division 2A tournament from 7th to 13th December 2014.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

That explains the empty roster spot & why Rutkis wasn't even on the short list.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

My guess on lines:
Hook-Cownie-Chamberlain
Antonov-Duggan-Forbes/Betteridge
Towner-Taylor-Betteridge/Forbes
Stratford-Billing-Rutkis
Wynn

1st line is obvious. Their last tournament together, end of a mini-era lol
2nd line Duggan & Antonov are obvious but I'm not sure if they'll go with the U18 line that did well last year (Forbes) or the U20 line that played together a little bit last year (Betteridge).
3rd line is just kind of a line of the left overs that didn't fit in the top 6 or the bottom line.
4th line is the OHA line.
Wynn is the 13th forward.

Selby-Moore
Balmer/Robson-Grieveson
Buglass-Stead
Robson/Balmer

1st pair is simply the most experienced two guys. Moore was top pair last year and Selby has been around the tournaments for a while, better off as a D-man.
2nd pair I honestly know nothing about Balmer/Robson because they always sat on the bench. Grieveson was the top player at the U18s so I figure he'll actually play minutes.
3rd pair played together at U18s and showed well.
It would be kind of sad but funny if Balmer ended up the 7th D for the 3rd year in a row.

Goss
Hedley

I assume Goss will start despite barely playing this year, it didn't stop them the last few years as he hasn't been a starter in a long time but will be expected to stand on his head anyway.

 

[Siamese Dream]

I have a lot of confidence in this team, they're all playing regularly at at least EPL level or abroad. They should win the group but we've said this about the u18s ever since they've been in D2A

I don't think Balmer will be the 7th D this year, but again all these guys are playing minutes in the EPL and there's not a lot between them. Honestly I would be comfortable with having Selby and Moore as the #1 pair and rolling the rest as a 5 with Stead getting PP time, there's nobody who stands out as a liability and should be sitting.

 

[blair3]

Robson has looked good and is getting ice time against the EPL top lines for Peterborough so really happy to see him in the squad. With Peterborough’s success this year so far I am a bit surprised that McGiffin hasn’t made the squad.

I am a bit concerned about Lithuania. They looked very strong at the lower age group last year and a lot of their players will have stepped up to the under 20s.

I haven’t been able to follow how Adam Goss has been getting on in North America. Has he not been icing much? When I was at the tournament last year I thought he was really good and had the potential to be an Elite level starter.

Unfortunately I understand that IHUK won’t be doing a broadcast of the games, does anybody know of any internet feeds that might show the GB games?

 

[Siamese Dream]

Robson has looked good and is getting ice time against the EPL top lines for Peterborough so really happy to see him in the squad. With Peterborough’s success this year so far I am a bit surprised that McGiffin hasn’t made the squad.

I am a bit concerned about Lithuania. They looked very strong at the lower age group last year and a lot of their players will have stepped up to the under 20s.

I haven’t been able to follow how Adam Goss has been getting on in North America. Has he not been icing much? When I was at the tournament last year I thought he was really good and had the potential to be an Elite level starter.

Unfortunately I understand that IHUK won’t be doing a broadcast of the games, does anybody know of any internet feeds that might show the GB games?

http://www.icehockeyuk.co.uk/gb-u20s-tournament-to-have-webcast-p195023

Doesn't seem to be free unfortunately, but will see if we can cheat the system like last time

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Robson has looked good and is getting ice time against the EPL top lines for Peterborough so really happy to see him in the squad. With Peterborough’s success this year so far I am a bit surprised that McGiffin hasn’t made the squad.

I am a bit concerned about Lithuania. They looked very strong at the lower age group last year and a lot of their players will have stepped up to the under 20s.

I haven’t been able to follow how Adam Goss has been getting on in North America. Has he not been icing much? When I was at the tournament last year I thought he was really good and had the potential to be an Elite level starter.

Unfortunately I understand that IHUK won’t be doing a broadcast of the games, does anybody know of any internet feeds that might show the GB games?

Adam Goss has only appeared in 3 matches for Mercyhurst (ACHA) and it hasn't gone very well for him:
http://achahockey.org/view/achahock...gue_id=1800&conference_id=1150&team_id=508478

I hope he's ready to stand on his head. 1 bad game and the tournament is over.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Selby wearing the C, Cownie & Chamberlain the A's

 

[3 Minute Minor]

GB U20 vs. GrIFK U20

1st period
Goss starts
1-0 - Wynn
1-1

2nd period
1-2
2-2 - Rutkis
2-3
3-3 - Chamberlain
4-3 - Rutkis
5-3 - Robson

3rd period
Hedley comes in
6-3 - Forbes
7-3 - Hook

 

[Siamese Dream]

Any idea of the lines?

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Any idea of the lines?

No clue.

I guess we'll find out in 2 days.

 

[Siamese Dream]

Game 1

4-2 victory against The Netherlands

 

[Siamese Dream]

Game 2

Huge 5-4 win against Lithuania

 

[Siamese Dream]

3 wins out of 3

A win against Korea will clinch promotion

Would be nice to have a meaningless game to start Hedley in and get him ready for next year