Ice hockey: John is world class

Mar 30 2009 by Jeff Holmes, Paisley Daily Express

PAISLEY defenceman John Connolly led rampant Team GB back into ice hockey’s elite – and picked up a gold medal in the process.

And the 17-year-old Buddie topped it off by being voted Top Defenceman in the IIHF World Under-18 Championships in Estonia.

Many fans expected GB’s final match against Netherlands to be a section decider – but the Brits had already racked up a perfect four wins from four matches.

And they went into the final game on the back of a 10-2 mauling of Serbia, in which Connolly, the captain scored, and a 7-1 win over Belgium – where the Buddie was named man of the match.

Over 100 supporters were in the Kreenholm Ice Hall in Narva to see the Brits go head to head with the Dutch.

The match was tight throughout and GB edged the first period 2-1. In the next, Connolly scored the second to make it 4-1 before being penalised two minutes for ‘delaying the game’.

The Dutch masters hit back and the Brits led 5-3 entering the last period of the game.

Connolly, a former pupil of Langcraigs Primary and Gleniffer High, was penalised for hooking early in the third, moments before the Dutch clawed back a fourth goal.

The all-action Buddie was then penalised for ‘hooking’ as the game entered a vital phase.

However, the Brits bagged three goals in 10 minutes to win 8-5 and secure their place within the game’s top flight.

Team GB ended the competition with five wins from their five matches, four points ahead of the home nation who took silver.

Connolly, who is based in the United States where he plays in defence for the Texas Renegades, said afterwards: “We got our just rewards because we have a talented, hard-working group of players who battled every inch of the way for one another.

“Some of the scorelines may read as convincing wins but every match was tough and you still have to go out there and make it happen.”

It was battling Connolly’s third world championship event in the space of just 12 months.

He said: “We practiced hard and it has paid off. It is a great feeling to win and to go through the group without being beaten.”