Ice hockey – two former Edinburgh stars in World Championship squad

Two former Edinburgh Capitals stars have been included in Great Britain’s (GB) squad for a double-header against Poland which forms part of the build-up for the World Championship.

Dundee-born netminder Stephen Murphy and defenceman Mark Garside from East Kilbride, join a third Scot, Glaswegian forward Colin Shields, and three other players with Scottish clubs in the squad.

Zach Sullivan and Craig Peacock of Braehead Clan plus evergreen Fife Flyers forward Brendan Brooks, who was born in Canada, are also squad-mates.

Coach Pete Russell’s squad face Poland on 14 April at Nottingham’s National Ice Centre and and again on the 15 April this time at Coventry’s Skydome Arena.

The squad will be cut to 23 ahead of the World Championship where GB will face Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Japan from 23 to 29 April in Belfast.

Scots-born Russell, said: “The coaches feel we have picked the right balance but there was so much competition across the board.

“We have a good balance of offence and defence and I think it’s the strongest team we have selected in the two years.”

He said: “We have been challenged to win a gold medal by the association and to do it on home soil.

“It’s going to be a wonderful experience and we need everyone behind the whole group.”

Brooks, who played for Breaehead last season, is named for the first time in a British line-up and it follows an impressive league campaign with Flyers.

The 38-year-old, who was once contracted to National Hockey League giants, Detroit Red Wings and St Louis Blues, has notched 45 points from 20 goals and 25 assists in 46 games.

The centre or right wing said: “I wasn’t sure if international hockey was going to happen again.

“I was asked to play for Canada at the Deutschland Cup in 2011 but got injured and couldn’t be a part of it.

“I had a call to play one more year at the Spengler Cup but the team I was playing for at the time had games during the same time as the tournament and I wouldn’t have been able to go.”

He added: “My initial reaction was with a big smile and couldn’t wait to contact my mom and grandparents about it.

“It is a very emotional thing for my grandparents and mom to see me represent their home country.

“My plan is definitely to be a part of the 23 man roster. I think it would be a huge honour to be on the squad and represent GB. I wouldn’t be going if I wasn’t serious about being on the team and help go for the gold.”

Netminders: Ben Bowns (Cardiff Devils), Stephen Murphy and Jackson Whistle (both Belfast Giants: Defence: Josh Batch Mark Richardson (both Cardiff Devils), Mark Garside (Belfast Giants), Steve Lee (Nottingham Panthers), Ben O’Connor and Dave Phillips (both Sheffield Steelers), Zach Sullivan (Braehead Clan), Paul Swindlehurst (Manchester Storm), Jonathan Weaver (Telford Tigers).

Forwards: Brendan Brooks (Fife Flyers), David Clarke and Robert Farmer, Robert Lachowicz (all Nottingham Panthers), Russell Cowley, Liam Stewart and Ross Venus (all Coventry Blaze), Robert Dowd, Jonathan Phillips (both Sheffield Steelers), Sam Duggan (Orebro, Sweden), Luke Ferrara (Sheffield Steelers), Evan Mosey (Rockford Ice Hogs, USA), Matthew Myers (Cardiff Devils), Craig Peacock (Braehead Clan), Jack Prince (Manchester Storm), Colin Shields (Belfast Giants).