Great Britain 4, Croatia 2
Man of the match Robert Dowd played a key role for Great Britain in their World Championship group win against Croatia at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
Dowd scored the first goal and added two assists, while GB fired three third period goals.
Croatia included Cardiff Devils forward David Brine, while Britain included goaltender Ben Bowns, Mark Richardson and Matthew Myers from the Welsh club.
Cardiff-born Jonathan Phillips was the GB captain, leading the team to a crucial victory in their opening Division One Group B game.
Evan Mosey scored his first international goal on his sixth appearance, while Dowd, David Clarke and ex-Devils forward Russ Cowley were also on target.
GB handed debut caps to Brendan Brooks, 18-year-old Sam Duggan and Liam Stewart.
Ben O’Connor had GB’s best chance of the opening stages when his fierce shot from the blueline was saved by Mate Tomljenovic.
Goalie Bowns had to be alert at the other end, making two saves from out in front, as GB killed off successive penalties to Brooks and Dowd.
Robert Lachowicz and Jonathan Phillips went close on the same shift, before Dowd fired GB in front with a shot from just inside the blueline through traffic on the powerplay after 15 minutes 30 seconds.
Croatia hit back moments later with a man advantage, moments after a five-on-three powerplay had ended, as Mislav Blagus netted (28-17).
Clarke blasted home from the left circle (43-46) for his 28th international goal, while Dowd fed Mosey in the slot and he shot through the five-hole (46-45) during a spell of four-on-four.
Croatia closed the deficit on a five-on-three powerplay when Brine batted the puck out of the air on his backhand at 54-25.
Cowley’s tip from a Lachowicz shot wrapped the game up for GB at 58-56.
Period scores (GB first): 1-0; 0-1 (1-1); 1-3 (2-4).
Penalties in minutes: GB 16, Croatia 10.
Shots on goal: GB 35, Croatia 32.
Britain are next in action on Monday when they play Estonia (7.30pm).
GB team
Netminders: Ben Bowns (Cardiff Devils), Stephen Murphy (Belfast Giants), Thomas Murdy (Cardiff Devils, reserve).
Defence: Mark Garside (Belfast Giants), Steve Lee (Nottingham Panthers), Ben O’Connor (Sheffield Steelers), David Phillips (Sheffield Steelers), Mark Richardson (Cardiff Devils), Paul Swindlehurst (Manchester Storm), Jonathan Weaver (Telford Tigers).
Forwards: Brendan Brooks (Fife Flyers), David Clarke (Nottingham Panthers), Russell Cowley (Coventry Blaze), Robert Dowd (Sheffield Steelers), Sam Duggan (Orebro, Sweden), Robert Farmer (Nottingham Panthers), Robert Lachowicz (Nottingham Panthers), Evan Mosey (Rockford Ice Hogs, USA), Matthew Myers (Cardiff Devils), Craig Peacock (Braehead Clan), Jonathan Phillips (Sheffield Steelers), Colin Shields (Belfast Giants), Liam Stewart (Coventry Blaze).
World Championship fixtures in Belfast:
Sunday, April 23: Netherlands 1, Japan 6; GB 4, Croatia 2; 7.30pm Estonia v Lithuania.
Monday, April 24: 12.30pm Japan v Croatia; 4pm Lithuania v Netherlands; 7.30pm GB v Estonia.
Wednesday, April 26: 12.30pm Japan v Estonia; 4pm Netherlands v Croatia; 7.30pm GB v Lithuania.
Friday, April 28: 12.30pm Lithuania v Japan, 4pm Croatia v Estonia; 7.30pm.
Saturday, April 29: 12.30pm Lithuania v Croatia; 4pm Estonia v Netherlands; 7.30pm GB v Japan.