GB go 3 for 3 in OT!

Photo: Dean Woolley

Great Britain continued their unbeaten start to the IIHF World Championships Division 1A in Romania with an overtime win over Japan - their third in a row in the tournament!

In a game where he won his 100th cap for the national team, Sheffield Steelers' Robert Dowd put the hosts ahead with 2:08 remaining in the opening period, set up on a one-timer by Liam Kirk who made his first appearance this tournament for the team after winning the DEL Playoffs with Berlin.

Former Steeler Kirk then doubled the lead 4:07 into period two with a five-hole finish to make GB comfortable. Japan, coached by former Cardiff Devils head coach Jarrod Skalde, had other ideas, though, and scored three in just under ten minutes to turn the game around. Sota Isogai pulled one back at 25:58, followed by Masato Okubo's tying goal at 29:01. Yushiroh Hirano put them ahead at 34:16 as GB ended the period a goal behind.

Josh Batch fired home GB's equaliser from the left circle to make it 3-3 8:41 into period three, but with 9:21 to play Japan were back ahead through Kenta Takagi. Pete Russell's team needed a late hero, and found it when Ben O'Connor's shot from the point went all the way through to tie the game with 1:49 to play. 

GB, who had won both of their previous two games in overtime, obliged again just 51 seconds into the bonus period - Dowd scoring 2-on-0 with an excellent finish and no need to slide it over to Nate Halbert on the rush with him.

GB face Italy on Thursday at 12:30 local time, 10:30am BST.