Austria beats Great Britain 5-2 with Peter Schneider double
Austria beat Great Britain 5-2 in the teams' opening game at the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship in Group A. Peter Schneider scored twice, and Great Britain spent much of the night chasing the game after falling 3-0 behind early in the first period.
Switzerland opener for Great Britain
The match was Great Britain's first of seven group games in Switzerland, and it ended with two goals from Great Britain but none of the recovery they needed. David Clements and Liam Kirk scored for Great Britain, pulling the score back to 3-2 after the first period before Austria restored a three-goal cushion before the end of the second period.
Peter Schneider adds the edge
Schneider's two goals gave Austria the margin that Great Britain never fully closed. Great Britain head coach Pete Russell also saw five players make their full national-team debuts on Saturday, a reminder that the opening night was carrying more than one test for a side starting its tournament schedule against an established Group A opponent.
Late saves from Mat Robson
Mat Robson made two big late saves on the penalty-kill, which kept the score from growing further in the closing stages. Seven goals came in the opening two periods, and the first-night rhythm in Group A was set quickly, with Switzerland beating the USA 3-1 on Friday and Finland beating Germany 3-1 on Friday before Austria handled Great Britain in the same group.
For Great Britain, the result leaves one loss on the board after one of seven group games, with the next task now being to turn a fast start by Austria into something more manageable in the rest of Group A.
