All good things come in fives: Blue Team fights its way to victory.

Italy's national ice hockey team celebrated a dramatic victory on Friday evening. At the European Cup of Nations, the Blue Team squandered four (!) leads – only to snatch a well-deserved win in overtime.

07 November 2025

From: never

One day after the 2-4 defeat against hosts Poland The Azzurri faced a tough challenge against Great Britain at the Zimowy Stadium in Sosnowiec and demonstrated remarkable mental fortitude. In their 5-4 victory on Friday evening, Mikael Frycklund and his teammates squandered four leads, with the game ultimately decided in the final moments of overtime. The reward for a committed performance – but let's start from the beginning.

After just under 15 minutes, Italy celebrated for the first time: Matt Bradley's pass was converted by Dustin Gazley with a powerful shot into the top right corner (15:20). However, the joy of taking the lead didn't last long; with one minute remaining, Ollie Betteridge, following a fine combination with Archie Hezeldine, skated towards goalie Rudy Rigoni and hammered the puck into the top right corner.

Lively exchange of blows in the second third

The pace of the game increased significantly in the second period. Daniel Tedesco set up his teammate Mikael Frycklund, but Frycklund couldn't get the puck past Brine. A few minutes later, the Azzurri did better: Daniel Mantenuto fed Luca Frigo on the left side, who fired a low shot into the net to regain the lead (25:00). However, a lapse in the Italian defense led to the equalizer just four minutes later. Enrico Miglioranzi's clearance was inadequate, and Logan Neilson passed across to Kris Inglis, who fired a low, clean shot from distance to make it 2-2.

In the 33rd minute, Alex Petan kept his cool after a fine through ball in front of Brine and put the Blue Team back in front with a shot between their legs – only to have to watch the equalizer come just a few minutes later. Betteridge intercepted the Azzurri's build-up play and won the puck. Shortly afterward, Josha Waller made his opponent Peter Spornberger look foolish and laid the puck off to Betteridge in the space behind the defense, who pushed it over the line (36:16).

Playing with a man down forces Azzurri into overtime.

In the closing stages of the second period, Mantenuto kept his composure amidst a chaotic scramble in front of the British net and pounced on a rebound to give the Azzurri their fourth lead (37:17). The final period offered considerably less excitement, with both teams effectively canceling each other out in the slot. Neilson finally capitalized on a British power play (55:50) to force overtime.

Attack after attack followed until, with ten seconds remaining, Gazley pushed the puck across the line from a sharp angle, after Bradley had been denied by Brine moments earlier. Italy now has one win and one loss after two games. They will conclude the tournament against Slovenia on Saturday (4:00 PM).

Great Britain – Italy 4:5 aet

Great Britain: Brine (Marr); Hazeldine-Hezeldine, Waller-Betteridge-Harewood; Steele-Inglis, Alderson-Hopkins-Neilson; Kelly-Martelly, McBean-Shudra-Norris; Beattie, Lyne Ulrick Watson.
Coach: Peter Russell.

Italy: Rigoni (Clara); Trivellato Seed, Tedesco-Frycklund Purdeller; Zanatta-Di Tomaso, Digiacinto-Bradley-Gazley; Amorosa-Spornberger, Frigo-Mantenuto-Petan; Miglioranzi-Larcher, Segafredo-Misley-Zanetti.
Allenatore: Jukka Jalonen

Viewers: 120

Gates: 0-1 Gazley (15.20), 1-1 Betteridge (18.34), 1-2 Frigo (25.00), 2-2 Inglis (29.46), 2-3 Petan (32.56), 3-3 Betteridge (36.16), 3-4 Mantenuto (37.17), 4-4 Neilson (55.50), 4-5 Gazley (64.49/OT)