Netminder Stevie Lyle and forwards Jonathan Phillips and
Matthew Myers were aiming to help Team GB qualify for their first Winter
Olympics since 1948, but were powerless to stop a Latvia side ranked 10 places
above them in the world rankings.
Latvia took the lead early on before Robert Dowd equalised
for Team GB, but the hosts built up a four-goal cushion as the game wore on.
Craig Peacock netted a consolation during a power-play,
before Latvia restored their four-goal cushion.
Ill-discipline at times cost the team, with the Latvians
capitalising on power-plays, but Team GB can be very proud of giving the world
No11 nation a good game, particularly as many of Latvia’s stars ply their trade
in the NHL.
Britain can still qualify for Sochi 2014, but have to beat
France in their game on Friday and then Kazakhstan on Sunday, and hope that
Latvia drop points in one of their two remaining fixtures as only the top team
will qualify.
Kazakhstan have already shocked France with a 3-2 victory as
Team GB played Latvia, so the Brits will be confident of all teams taking
points off of each other.
Britain’s Peacock said: “Latvia are a very good ice hockey
team but they scored three power-play goals and you can’t give a team of that
calibre those sort of chances because they will put them away.”
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