Ice hockey – Murrayfield teenager set for world championships

Defencemen Ethan Reid (Murrayfield) and Liam Stenton (Solway Sharks) have been included in the Great Britain under-18 squad for next year’s World Championship, Division 2, in Tallinn from March 22 to 28. They play hosts Estonia plus Korea, Lithuania, Romania and Serbia.

Elsewhere, Dundee Stars, the Elite League’s bottom club, shocked third-placed Giants 6-3 in Northern Ireland.

Coach Omar Pacha had called on his men to step-up their game after being cast adrift at the foot of the ten-strong table and they have responded handsomely.

The was Stars’ third win of the season in Belfast’s impressive SSE Arena and it was achieved after going behind twice.

Kevin Dufour was Dundee’s top scorer with a treble following a counter after six minutes and two empty net goals in 36 seconds in the final minute after Giants had gambled by withdrawing their netminder to have six skaters.

Netminder Alex Leclerc also drew praise from Giants coach Adam Keefe for his performance in keeping Belfast’s forwards at bay. The Scots were outshot 31-26 on the night in a game watched by over 5,100 fans.

Pacha said that to come into the SSE Arena and take two points was a massive lift and added: “Belfast came hard in the first period and we were lucky enough to get out of that period leading by one.

“Belfast outplayed us in the second but we were able to be tied going into the third and, obviously, we played a very good third period.”