{{Short description|English ice hockey player (born 1991)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} {{Infobox ice hockey player | caption = Bowns with the Cardiff Devils in 2016 | alt = | image = Ben Bowns.jpg | image_size = 230px | position = Goaltender | catches = Left | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 2 | weight_lb = 212 | team = Cardiff Devils | league = EIHL | former_teams = Sheffield Scimitars<br />Sheffield Steeldogs<br />Hull Stingrays<br />Graz99ers<br />Nottingham Panthers<br />HK Dukla Trenčín | ntl_team = Great Britain | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1991|01|21}} | birth_place = Rotherham, Yorkshire, England | draft = | draft_year = | draft_team = | career_start = 2006 | career_end = 2026 }} '''Ben Bowns''' (born 21 January 1991) is retired English professional ice hockey player who is a goaltender for the Cardiff Devils of the Elite Ice Hockey League.
==Playing career== Bowns played youth hockey in Sheffield, before signing with the Hull Stingrays in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chasingthepuck.com/did-the-steelers-miss-out-twice-a-look-back-at-the-career-of-ben-bowns-so-far/|title=Did the Steelers miss out twice? A look back at the career of Ben Bowns so far » Chasing the Puck|date=20 February 2020}}</ref> He would play two years as the starter in Hull before signing in Cardiff in 2014.
With the Devils, he won the EIHL Challenge Cup twice and has been named goaltender of the year three times.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2019/wm/news/11413/ben-bowns-backstops-brits|title=IIHF – Ben Bowns backstops Brits}}</ref> Despite receiving offers from other European leagues, remained in Cardiff until 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishicehockey.co.uk/post/the-monday-after-bowns-in-the-shop-window/|title = The Monday After: Bowns in the shop window | British Ice Hockey|date = 13 May 2019}}</ref>
On 14 August 2020 it was confirmed Bowns had departed Cardiff for IceHL side Graz 99ers. Bowns had played against Graz twice in the 2019–20 Champions Hockey League, helping Cardiff to two wins over the 99ers.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.cardiffdevils.com/news/ben-bowns-departs-cardiff-austria/ | title = Bowns departs Cardiff for Austria | publisher = Cardiff Devils | date = 14 August 2020 | accessdate = 14 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.99ers.at/2020/08/14/99ers-verpflichten-broda-altmann-bowns-cameranesi/ | title = Graz sign Altmann, Broda, Bowns and Cameranesi | publisher = Graz99ers | date = 14 August 2020 | accessdate = 14 August 2020 | language = German }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In March 2021, Bowns was drafted by EIHL side Nottingham Panthers ahead of the 2021 Elite Series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eliteleague.co.uk/article/991-2021-elite-series-confirmed-for-april-may|title = 2021 Elite Series confirmed for April–May!}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eliteleague.co.uk/article/1001-draft-concluded-full-summary|title = Draft Concluded: Full Summary}}</ref>
On 16 June 2021 it was announced Bowns had signed to a second contract abroad after agreeing to join Slovak Extraliga side HK Dukla Trenčín for the 2021–22 season.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1405186870938591240|user=cardiffdevils|title=Good luck in Slovakia, Ben Bowns! @Bownsy21 will spend the 2021–22 season with HK Dukla Trencin 🏒🇸🇰#DevilsFamily<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |date=16 June 2021}}</ref>
After two seasons abroad, Bowns returned to the UK and to a second spell with Cardiff – re-signing in May 2022 ahead of the 2022–23 season.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1531332658504126467|user=cardiffdevils|title=A new signing for the 22/23 season…🥁#33 Ben Bowns…welcome back Bownsy 👏🏻😈🏒|date=30 May 2022}}</ref>
In February 2023, Bowns was credited with a goal in Cardiff's 4–1 victory at the Dundee Stars, as he was the last Devils player to touch the puck prior to the Stars' Johan Eriksson putting it into his own net.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kris|last=Smith|url=https://www.dundeestars.com/matches/trade-mart-dundee-stars-v-cardiff-devils-4/|title=Trade-Mart Dundee Stars 1 Cardiff Devils 4|website=Dundee Stars|date=19 February 2023|accessdate=19 February 2023}}</ref> As a result, he became the fourth goaltender to be credited with such an achievement in British league ice hockey, after Tony Melia, Jody Lehman and Mark Bernard.<ref>{{cite news|first=Antony|last=Hopker|url=https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/other-sport/goal-stopper-makes-blaze-history-3153466|title=Goal stopper makes Blaze history|website=Coventry Telegraph|date=22 December 2003|accessdate=19 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/ice-hockey/vipers-slump-to-bison-loss-1599181|title=Vipers slump to Bison loss|website=Evening Chronicle|date=4 December 2005|accessdate=19 February 2023}}</ref>
In June 2025, Bowns re-signed with Cardiff, bringing his total time with the team to 10 years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-19 |title=GB goaltender Ben Bowns is still a Devil after all these years |url=https://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/sport/other-sport/gb-goaltender-ben-bowns-is-still-a-devil-after-all-these-years-5185301 |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=Rotherham Advertiser |language=en}}</ref>
==International play== Bowns made his first appearance for the British senior team in 2012, and has played as the country's starter ever since.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/ice-hockey/48309312|title=Bowns enjoying test against world elite|work=BBC Sport}}</ref> In 2019, Britain made the IIHF Men's World Championship for the first time in 25 years, where Bowns was named player of the match after making 59 saves in a 6-3 loss to the USA. He finished the tournament as the goalie with the most saves.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/19/sports/britain-hockey-world-championships.html|title=Britannia Rules the … Rink? Maybe One Day|newspaper=The New York Times|date=19 May 2019|last1=Pinelli|first1=Brian}}</ref> Bowns again represented Great Britain at the 2021 IIHF World Championship, finishing with a save percentage of 91%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=38637&lang=en |website=Elite Prospects |title=Ben Bowns Career Statistics}}</ref>
In late April to early May 2023, Bowns was Great Britain's starting netminder for the IIHF World Championship division 1A tournament in Nottingham. He played all five games in the tournament and was awarded netminder of the tournament<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=TeamGBicehockey|url=https://twitter.com/TeamGBicehockey/status/1654594257070465024?s=20 |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref> with a save percentage of 93.46%, a goal against average of 1.39 and 3 shutouts<ref>{{Cite web |title=IIHF - Statistics 2023 IIHF ICE HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Division I, Group A |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2023/wmia/goalkeepers/topgoalkeepers |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation |language=en}}</ref> against Korea,<ref>{{Cite web |title=IIHF - KOR - GBR 29.04.2023 - 2023 IIHF ICE HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Division I, Group A - Game Centre Statistic |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2023/wmia/gamecenter/statistics/39341/3-kor-vs-gbr |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation |language=en}}</ref> Romania<ref>{{Cite web |title=IIHF - GBR - ROU 03.05.2023 - 2023 IIHF ICE HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Division I, Group A - Game Centre Play by play |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2023/wmia/gamecenter/playbyplay/39350/12-gbr-vs-rou |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation |language=en}}</ref> and Lithuania.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IIHF - GBR - LTU 02.05.2023 - 2023 IIHF ICE HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Division I, Group A - Game Centre Statistic |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2023/wmia/gamecenter/statistics/39347/9-gbr-vs-ltu |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation |language=en}}</ref> Team GB was promoted to the 2024 World Championship in Czechia after winning all 5 games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IIHF - GB takes the crown |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2023/wmia/news/44249/ita_gbr |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation |language=en}}</ref>
Bowns would compete in the 2024 IIHF World Championship he finished the tournament with a 88.3 SV% and a 4.67 GAA.Great Britain's only win 4-2 over Austria Ben was between the pipes.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
In 2025 Bowns would help GB to Gold and Promotion from Division 1A. He was named as one of GB's three Stars of the tournament.
== Personal life ==
Bowns has named former NHL goalie Patrick Roy as his favourite player growing up.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://puckstop.com/blog/ben-bowns-q-a|title=Ben Bowns Q&A | Puckstop}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{icehockeystats}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowns, Ben}} Category:1991 births Category:Living people Category:Cardiff Devils players Category:Graz 99ers players Category:HK Dukla Trenčín players Category:Hull Stingrays players Category:Nottingham Panthers players Category:English ice hockey goaltenders Category:British expatriate ice hockey people Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Slovakia Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Austria Category:Expatriate ice hockey players in Slovakia Category:Expatriate ice hockey players in Austria Category:Sportspeople from Rotherham