Defeat against Latvia relegates our boys.
Great Britain have been relegated from the top division of the World Championship following a 6-0 defeat by 2023 bronze-medallists Latvia at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich.
Victory for Latvia kept alive their quarter-final hopes as they look to chase down Austria or Germany for a place in the last eight.
Mat Robson started between the pipes with Ben Bowns as back-up. Jack Hopkins and Cole Shudra came into the line-up for Joe Hazeldine (upper body) and Sam Lyne.
GB with good chances by trail by three
Liam Kirk, David Clements and Brett Perlini had shots saved by Latvian netminder Kristers Gudlevskis on the powerplay.
Robson made two point-blank saves and Mark Richardson a big block on the penalty-kill, while Latvia hit the bar and the post on the same powerplay.
Latvia went ahead when Haralds Egle and Eduards Tralmaks neatly set-up Martins Dzierkals who went top-shelf from close-range (09:29).
Deniss Smirnovs pounced on a loose puck in the slot and went top-shelf for Latvia’s second (13:25).
GB created some good offence and Shudra was denied by Gudlevskis on a two-on-one break, before Latvia made it three when Robson made two close-range saves but Rudolfs Balcers scored on the doorstep rebound (19:18).
Latvia extend lead in second period
Tralmaks scored with a one-timer from the right-circle on the powerplay to make it 4-0 to Latvia (22:03).
Gudlevskis made a double save on Mark Richardson who had two efforts from the slot as GB looked to find a way back into the game.
Bayley Harewood was the next player to be denied as a neat piece of skill down the right-wing saw him come away from two players but his backhand shot was saved.
Latvia scored twice in two-and-a-half minutes as Egle netted from close-range (36:19) and Renars Krastenbergs buried a one-timer from the right-circle on the powerplay (38:41).
No goals in quiet third session
Bowns replaced Robson for the start of the third period and he made an early double close-range save.
Logan Neilson and Travis Brown were denied in quick succession by Gudlevskis on a GB third-period powerplay.
The third session ended scoreless as Latvia secured their third win in Group A and move inside the top four.
GB play their final game tomorrow (Monday 25th May) against Germany at 20:20 (19:20 BST).
