Stephen Murphy made 21 saves for Great Britain on Monday night as they maintained their winning start to the tournament in Belfast.
Icing between the pipes in an arena he knows very well, Murphy came up with the big saves at the right time including a huge glove save on Estonian dangerman Robert Rooba high above the blue paint in the third period.
“It makes it all the more special,” said Murphy after the game.
“Belfast is where I live, it’s where I call home so it was all the more sweeter.
“I’m really happy with how I played but the result is the main thing, we came to win and we’ve got the job done.”
GB coach Peter Russell has the luxury of Murphy and Ben Bowns as his goalie tandem this week with both men capable of backstopping the team to victory.
“Ben’s a young guy, I’m trying to keep up with him,” joked Murphy.
“I’ll just do my best whenever I’m asked to play and I will do whatever I can to help the team out.”
Tuesday is a rest day as far as the games are concerned, though GB are training at the SSE this afternoon.
Matches in the Division 1 Group B tournament resume on Wednesday as Japan face Estonia (12.30), Netherlands play Croatia (4pm) before Great Britain’s crunch clash with unbeaten Lithuania at 7.30pm.
Photo credit: Dean Woolley