GB go down in their final game of the World Championships to Germany
Great Britain were beaten 6-3 by Germany in their final game at the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich.
Robert Dowd scored on his final GB appearance as he brought the curtain down on his international career on 109 caps.
Netminder Ben Bowns played his final game too after also announcing his retirement from GB last week and ends his international career on 97 caps.
After the game, the retirement of defenceman Josh Tetlow was also confirmed as his international career came to an end on 38 caps.
Mat Robson was back-up to Bowns, Sam Lyne came into the line-up for Jack Hopkins, while Joe Hazeldine remained out of action with an upper body injury.
Germany lead at end of first period
Bowns denied Moritz Seider and Lukas Reichel inside the opening minute and made a good glove save on Eric Mik at the midway point of the period.
Seider set-up Alexander Karachun who drove backdoor to put Germany ahead (13:56).
Two goals in 16 seconds saw Germany take a three-goal lead to the first intermission as Frederik Tiffels used his speed and cut in off the right-wing to score (19:25), before Fabio Wagner fired through traffic from right-point (19:41).
Dowd on target in final game for GB
Andreas Eder went top-shelf from the slot for Germany’s fourth (24:04), but GB got on the board soon after with a powerplay goal.
Nathanel Halbert fed Dowd who fired past NHL netminder Philipp Grubauer from the high slot with Logan Neilson providing the screen (24:04).
Liam Kirk was denied by Grubauer twice in quick succession and at the other end, Bowns made a huge close-range save on Samuel Dove-McFalls.
Betteridge and Lachowicz score in impressive GB third period
Reichel fed Josh Samanski in the slot to score Germany’s fifth (40:17), before Bowns turned away Karachun’s effort from point-blank range.
Leon Gawanke went short-side from the left-circle with a neat finish (49:00), but GB hit back when Brad Jenion sent Ollie Betteridge down the right-hand side and he beat Grubauer with a beautiful wraparound (50:51).
Johnny Curran and Logan Neilson combined to feed Robert Lachowicz who fired past Grubauer off the right-hand post (54:06) as GB ended the tournament with a lot of pride.
