LANCASHIRE, UK – Blackburn Hawks host Solihull Barons in Moralee D1 on Sunday aiming to build some momentum for the end-of-season play-offs.
The Hawks produced their best performance of the season to defeat title-chasing Telford Tigers last weekend and they will hope to continue in the same vein against the Barons.
Netminder Niks Trapans was in excellent form against Telford, recording a 93.75 save percentage and pulling off two fine saves in the shoot-out to secure the victory for the Lancashire side.
He said: “We knew that it would be a very hard game – Telford are a very skilled team with a great system.
“We started off with a fast and aggressive pace, controlling the game and we managed to open up the scoreline. This gave us a big push, but after a couple of penalty kills they managed to equalise the score.
“Throughout the game the boys played their hearts out and you could really see that we wanted that win.
“Personally, this was my best performance of the season and hats off to the boys for the support.
“We have to repeat what we did against Telford and take the same mentality and confidence into our next game against Solihull.”
Both sides have already booked their places in the play-offs, but they will be eager to secure a favourable berth over the remaining weeks of the regular season.
Solihull are currently 5th in the table, one point in front of Whitley Warriors. Blackburn are a further three points adrift with a game in hand.
A quarter-final tie against Solway Sharks seems likely for the team who claim 5th place, with the sides finishing 6th, 7th and 8th facing the prospect of meeting either Telford, Sheffield Steeldogs or Hull Pirates.
The two northern finalists will get the chance to face their southern counterparts at the NIHL Final Four Weekend at Coventry on 7/8th April.
A D2 championship game between the winners of the Laidler (north) and Wilkinson (south) divisions completes the line-up at the Skydome.
Laidler D2 will also have its own play-off weekend to be held at Widnes on 14/15th April, with Wilkinson D2’s event taking place at Bracknell the following week.
The format for each weekend will see two semi-finals on the Saturday, with the winners playing the final on Sunday.
Sutton Sting, Telford Tigers 2, Hull Jets and Altrincham Aces currently hold the top four places in Laidler D2, but Widnes Wild and Sheffield Senators are still in the running.
League manager Richard Carpenter believes the trio of events will provide a brilliant climax to the NIHL campaign.
“The NIHL Final Four is set to be a fitting conclusion to the season, with the best four NIHL1 play-off sides battling out for our first true national title,” he said.
“The NIHL2 championship game is a great addition to the programme and another intriguing north versus south battle.
“The EIHA and NIHL is delighted to work with our partners in Coventry, Widnes and Bracknell to deliver these key events and create this unique Championship Series of three successive weekends of tournament hockey.
“We are fortunate to have three rinks that not only have the enthusiasm to host the events, but the professionalism and experience to carry out the delivery to a high standard.
“The play-offs will provide an exciting, competitive conclusion to the NIHL season for clubs in both divisions.”
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Moralee D1
Saturday
Solihull Barons v Nottingham Lions
Solway Sharks v Hull Pirates
Telford Tigers v Sheffield Steeldogs
Sunday
Billingham Stars v Sheffield Steeldogs
Blackburn Hawks v Solihull Barons
Deeside Dragons v Solway Sharks
Hull Pirates v Telford Tigers
Nottingham Lions v Whitley Warriors
Laidler D2
Saturday
Blackburn Hawks 2 v Bradford Bulldogs
Coventry Blaze NIHL v Widnes Wild
Deeside Dragons 2 v Sutton Sting
Hull Jets v Sheffield Senators
Sunday
Altrincham Aces v Hull Jets
Sutton Sting v Deeside Dragons 2
Widnes Wild v Coventry Blaze NIHL
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