BLACKBURN HAWKS 8-1 TELFORD TITANS 22/02/14

The Hawks had the opportunity to guarantee their place in the play-offs on Saturday evening, and took full advantage, with a competent display against a gutsy Telford outfit. A huge crowd of over 900 supporters descended upon the Arena and took their seats, as the referee dropped the puck, to start the game.

The first penalty of the evening came with only 8 seconds gone, when the visitor's Harrison received a 'delay of game' call, for depositing the puck over the boards. This was closely followed by co-incidental penalties against Blackburn's Canadian, Jon Adams, and Telford youngster, Gordon, for 'slashing' and 'cross-checking', respectively. However, the home side couldn't create any chances on goal. Once back at full-strength, the Titans launched their first meaningful attack of the match, but Stuart Ashton, who was deputising for the suspended Danny Brittle, produced a cool glove save, to settle his nerves. He was called into action again soon after, when a Telford forward found himself one-on-one, but the young net-minder closed off his options well, and made the save. With half of the period gone, the opening goal arrived, when Adams gratefully fired a rebound past Gospel in the Titans net. Two minutes later, and the score was doubled, when Matt Viney chased down a pass out of defence. The loose puck was gathered by Aaron Davies, and he passed back to Chris Arnone, who flashed a 'one-timer' past the keeper. With the Hawks predominantly on the front foot, it came as something of a shock when the visitors halved the deficit. A rare mistake in the Blackburn defence saw them lose possession in their own zone, and Harrison fired in off the crossbar. There was some conjecture as to whether the puck had crossed the line , but the officials eventually deemed that it had done so, before bouncing back into play. A couple of minor penalties, against Viney, and then Gordon, saw the period draw to a close with both teams enjoying time with a man-advantage, but the defences held firm.

The second period began with the Hawks on the power-play, and it was not long before Gospel was beaten for a third time. Jake Nurse surged down the left wing, and as he headed towards goal, unselfishly passed across the front of the net, to the waiting David Miekle, who made no mistake. The free-scoring forward, Adam Brittle, who has built up an almost 'telepathic' understanding with Adams, was the next to get his name on the scoresheet. The two combined to set Brittle free on the left, and he had time to pick his spot, right in the top right-hand corner of the net - giving the goalkeeper no chance. 4-1 soon became 5-1, when Blackburn scored on the power-play. Arnone pressurised a defenceman into 'coughing up' possession, and when he gave the puck to Danny Mackriel on the offensive blue-line, he had plenty of time to shoot beyond the unsighted keeper. The Telford goalie was working 'overtime', to keep his team in the tie, and produced an unbelievable save with his stick, whilst prone on the floor, to deny Adams.

The final 20 minutes began with both sides upping the physical aspects of their game - big hits coming from each team. On 47 minutes, Viney turned goal-provider once again, when he battled down the left of the offensive zone, before beating two defenders, and picking out Tom King, who coolly lifted a first-time shot past Gospel. A minute later, and the demoralised netminder was retrieving the puck from his net once more, when Jared Owen fired home from in-close, after a good passing move involving Ivo Dimitrijevs, Davies and Brittle. The final goal of the game came with only 8 minutes remaining, when Owen found Adams on the right, and when the Canadian cut inside, he only had one thing on his mind. He wound-up, and unleashed a ferocious slapshot past the flailing glove of the keeper. With the game winding down, King took exception to some underhand play from Gordon, and with the youngster having repeatedly refused to take on-board several warnings from both the opposition, and the officials, he decided to inflict his own form of justice. A bone-crunching check into the boards saw the powerful Hawk ejected from the game - leaving behind a crumpled heap, as Gordon reeled from the impact. Indeed, it took him several minutes to recover, although he still looked in considerable distress as he was escorted from the ice. Ashton had the final say in the match, when he made a fine save from a deflected shot, and the hooter was greeted by a loud cheer from the crowd, who knew that 'post-season' hockey had been assured.

Stuart Ashton was awarded MVP, for a diligent display between the pipes.

 

 

Image courtesy of John Milton - www.togger.co.uk

BLACKBURN HAWKS 7-2 WHITLEY WARRIORS 09/02/14

With play-off spots yet to be secured, the two League points on offer were vital for both teams. A win for the Hawks would further consolidate their position behind Solway, whilst the visitors knew that a victory could close the gap on the leading pack. This was evident as both sides lined up, with Blackburn's Chris Arnone and Rick Hughes prepared to play, even though they were carrying injuries. Aaron Davies, Tom King, and Chris Butler, however, did not ice, against what was a full-strength Whitley outfit. As usual, a large crowd flocked to the Arena, for what promised to be an enthralling encounter. 

Any late-comers to the game may have missed the opening goal of the match, as the Hawks went ahead in the 1st minute. The silky stickwork of Adam Brittle saw him drive across the face of goal, then draw the Warriors netminder, Ritchie Lawson, out of his crease, before rounding him, and sliding the puck into an empty net. It was the perfect start for the home side, and settled the players as they looked to dominate their opponents. The Whitley goalkeeper knew he was in a game, as he kept out attempts from Dan Mackriel, David Miekle, and Jon Adams, but was powerless to stop the 'irrepressible', Jake Nurse getting on the scoresheet in the 9th minute. A pass out of defence saw Mackriel challenge for the puck on the offensive blue line, and with the defenceman's stick inexplicably snapping, he was able to find space on the right. He looked up, and picked out the fast-approaching Nurse, who's backhand finish proved too good for Lawson. It was far from one-way traffic, however, as the Warriors carved out plenty of chances of their own. A 'lofted' pass was mis-controlled by Rick Ravey, and allowed M.Good to race clear on the right, but the Hawks goalie, Danny 'Dangy' Brittle closed down his angles well, and the shot flew over the bar. With Reece Cairney-Witter sitting out a two-minute penalty, a scrambled 'powerplay' goal from in-close, by Harry Harley, saw Blackburn's lead halved, but this didn't seem to deter the Hawks, as they continued to pour forward. The closest they came was when Ollie Lomax saw an opportunity to push forward and test Lawson, but his long-range shot smacked the post. On 17 minutes, Lawson was beaten for the third time, as Nurse benefited from a pass from behind the net from Mackriel - seeming to scoop it over the flailing netminder. 

 

As with the first period, the second started with another early goal for Blackburn. Brittle was proving to be a real 'handful' for the visitors, and with the referee making a 'delayed' penalty call, he was able to score at the second attempt. Lawson was getting very little protection from his defence, and had to be in inspired form to deny the rampant Hawks forwards. On the half hour, Whitley took advantage of a defensive lapse when Craig Rogers was isolated in his own zone, and Adam Reynolds beat Dangy comfortably. This was as good as it got for the visitors, though, as within two minutes, they went three behind again, courtesy of a powerplay goal from Scott Robson. Culley was penalised for tripping Lomax, and a good passing move around the offensive zone created space for Robson. He shot towards goal, and although Lawson made a routine save, he released his arms, letting the puck drop down, and over the line. A couple of slashing penalties against either team saw a 4-on-4, but when Lomax drew a four minute penalty on Watson, for tripping and cross-checking, the home side sensed the opportunity to put the match well out of reach. Within seconds, a shot from the blue line was tipped beyond Lawson, but contentiously 'chalked-off' for high sticks. 

The final twenty minutes began with the Hawks still with a two-man advantage, and yet again they registered an early goal. Jared Owen gained possession on the right, and with plenty of time to select the right pass, found Brittle, who completed his 'hat-trick' with a wrist shot past the unsighted keeper. Frustration was clearly getting to the Warriors, as they continued to take minor penalties, allowing Blackburn to maintain a stronghold on the game. Arnone went on an exhilarating 'coast to coast' dribble, and shot towards the top corner. However, the netminder threw up a glove, producing a classy save for the cameras. With 5 minutes to go, Brittle rounded off the scoring when he drove past a static defender, and slid a pin-point shot into the bottom corner. With Whitley clearly a well beaten team, the Hawks took their foot off the gas, somewhat, and wound down the clock without too much concern.

Not surprisingly, the MVP went to Adam Brittle, for his 4-goal display.

 

Image courtesy of John Milton - www.togger.co.uk

BLACKBURN HAWKS 7-4 SHEFFIELD SPARTANS 02/02/14

There was a 'War of the Roses' clash at the Arena on Sunday evening, as the Hawks welcomed the Sheffield Spartans. With the visitors still harbouring thoughts of a top four finish, it promised to be an epic encounter. Ironically, there was a family get-together on the ice, as Stuart Brittle 'faced-off' against his two brothers, Adam and Danny.

The first period began with a nervy moment for Blackburn, when, after only 2 minutes, Will Barron broke through the defensive ranks, giving Craig Rogers no choice but to slash him, and take a penalty. However, the Spartans were unable to create any openings with their man-advantage. This was closely followed by a 'delay of game' penalty for each team, which resulted in a 4-on-4, although Stones, the visiting keeper, was the only one to be tested, when Adam 'Addy' Brittle latched onto a pass from Matt Viney with a ferocious one-timer. As the intensity began to increase, two big hits, by Reece Cairney-Witter and Ollie Lomax, had the crowd on their feet, and the Sheffield players flat-out on the ice. With the visiting players still recovering, Ivo Dimitrijevs was able to open the scoring, by shooting a pin-point effort through traffic. A couple of minutes later, and Lomax was heading for the showers, when he stepped into an altercation between Dimitrijevs and Weeks. He was clearly infuriated, to the point of being ejected from the game by the officials for two 'ten minute' penalties - incitement, and then misconduct. A holding call for the Spartans gave the Hawks a powerplay, but they were stunned by a short-handed goal from Barron. He collected a lobbed pass from Stuart Brittle, and had plenty of time to pick his spot, with a cool backhand finish. However, parity didn't last for long, as Arnone benefited from some good interplay from Addy and Aaron Davies, to smash a slapshot past the netminder, and restore the Hawks lead. With only a couple of seconds remaining in the period, Jake Nurse was the second Hawk to leave the game, when he was involved in the first fight of the evening. Blackburn's Rick Ravey and Jones had 'words' in the corner, but when the Spartan refused to accept an invitation to 'dance', Nurse challenged him, and wasn't taking "No" for an answer, earning him a lengthy penalty, and a 'game misconduct'. 

The second period began with Sheffield having a two-man advantage, and they made the most of it, by scoring two rapid-fire goals - both carbon copies of each other. Firstly Pyatt shot through a crowded goalmouth, and then Weeks did exactly the same, although his took the slightest of deflections from Parkinson's stick, to beat the Hawks' netminder. Eventually, the home side were able to return to 5 skaters, and they then set about getting a foothold back in the game. Ivo lead the way, with an intricate dribble around 3 defenders, but as he skated around the back of the net, his wrap-around attempt hit the side netting. Just after the halfway point in the match, the scores were tied once more, when Jon Adams gleefully tucked home the puck from close-in, after Stones failed to hold onto a Craig Rogers' wrist-shot. Thirty seconds later, and Davies was unlucky to see his goal wiped off, for having a 'man in the crease', but on 36 minutes, Blackburn went ahead for the third time. Adams worked himself some space behind the Sheffield net, and spotted Addy in front, who's precise shot into the bottom corner was just beyond the keeper. Within a minute, Davies did have reason to celebrate a goal of his own, finishing off a solo effort at the second attempt - lifting a shot high into the net, and sparking loud celebrations in the crowd. 

In the third period, an early 'hooking' penalty for the Spartans, resulted in goal number 6 for the home side. Scott Robson found Danny Mackriel out on the left, and as he cut inside, rifled a bullet shot past the goalkeeper, to virtually end the game as a contest. It was only a matter of time before Stuart Brittle had the chance to score against his brother, Danny, but when he did break away, the Blackburn netminder denied him with a sharp save. The watching crowd were quick to seize on this, and a 'tongue in cheek' chorus of "You'll never beat your brother!!" rained down from the stands. With the Hawks attacking almost at will, another goal was on the cards, but not before Arnone took out some of his frustrations on Weeks. The Sheffield player had been pushing his luck all evening, and with only 6 minutes remaining, the pair skated towards centre ice, for a 'discussion'. With both men sat in the penalty box, serving co-incidental penalties, Stuart Brittle did get the better of his brother, with a neat shot inside the near post, to give the visitors a glimmer of hope, but this was quickly extinguished by a goal from Robson, who ghosted-in to the front of the net, and slid a shot beyond the keeper. The 7-4 scoreline was a deserved win for Blackburn, but the real winners were the watching fans, who had enjoyed a fabulous game of end-to-end hockey - a ideal advertisement for the sport.

MVP went to Adam Brittle, for a dominant, hard-working display. 

BLACKBURN HAWKS 4-2 MANCHESTER MINOTAURS 26/01/14

The final meeting of the season between the local rivals was a League encounter, with the Manchester outfit looking to put a dent into the Hawks' push for a play-off spot. Unlike in the previous Cup game, the visitors were able to ice a stronger roster of almost 3 lines, with Blackburn being at virtually full-strength.

The match began at a fast pace, with Zeman testing Danny 'Dangy' Brittle in the home side's goal. This was quickly evened up by Adam Brittle racing to the other end, and forcing Paul Maudsley into the first of many saves, as he smashed a shot into his chest. Craig Rogers put his considerable strength to good use in only the second minute, when he deposited Hnilica headlong into the boards, and sat out a 2 minute penalty as a result. The Hawks closed down the Minotaurs powerplay quite comfortably, chasing down each pass, and giving the forwards little time to work an opening. Rogers timed his return to the ice perfectly, and he was able to join in the Hawks celebrations, as Brittle found a way past Maudsley. He single-handedly took on the Manchester defence down the left, before heading in front of goal, then turning, and somehow wrapping a back-hand shot across the keeper, into the far corner of the net. A needless call for having too many men on the ice gave Blackburn a powerplay, and having moved the puck well around the zone, they created space for Jon Adams to shoot. He rifled a shot goalwards, but a slight deflection from a defenceman was sufficient to re-direct it beyond the 'already committed' Maudsley. This was the perfect start for Blackburn, and they began to play with an air of real confidence, led by the inspirational duo of Brittle and Adams. A heated discussion between Rick Ravey and Russ Richardson threatened to escalate, but the referee intervened, and gave Ravey a 2 minute penalty to cool off. With the Hawks short-handed, the Minotaurs pressed, but came up against a defensive stone wall. In fact, it was the home team who came closest to finding the net, when Adams broke away. He raced towards goal, and waited for Maudsley to make his move, but with the netminder closing down the angles well, the Canadian's shot flew an inch wide of the post. Chances then came 'thick and fast' for the rampant Blackburn forwards, with both David Miekle and Jake Nurse going close. Then, with only 2 minutes remaining of the period, goal number 3 duly arrived. A mad scramble in the visitors zone saw both Adams and Brittle have attempts from in-close, and with the puck lying tantalisingly on the goal line, between the keeper's pads, Jared Owen had the easiest of tasks in thrusting forward his stick to score, before Maudsley could react.

The second period started badly for the home side, as Reece Cairney-Witter was forced to slash Greaves, when the forward was alone in front of the net, with only Dangy to beat. Seven seconds later, and he was joined in the box by Ollie Lomax, who's trip earned him a 2 minute penalty. Killing off the resulting 5-on-3 penalty for almost an entire two minutes was always going to be a tough task for the Hawks defenders, and the Minotaurs took full-advantage. Zeman fired a shot at Dangy, who saved, but the puck fell kindly to Sean Day by the side of the net, and he made no mistake, to get the visitors on the board. However, this set-back only heightened Blackburn's determination to secure the win, and they set-up camp in the opponent's defensive zone. Maudsley was performing 'near' miracles in the Manchester goal, making save after save, as he was peppered with shots. The pick of them was a breath-taking glove save, where he plucked a 'bullet' of a slap-shot out of the air, to deny Adams - and he was roundly applauded by the watching crowd. Goal number 4 was inevitable, however, and it came on 37 minutes when Ravey found Miekle on the right. He, in turn laid the puck on to Danny Mackriel who was moving at speed, and having taken a touch to control it, slid a cool finish beyond the netminder.

The final period began with two less players on the Hawks bench, with both Rick Hughes (knee) and Ollie Lomax (shoulder) nursing injuries. The re-structuring of lines may have contributed to the Minotaur's second goal, when Richardson played a long pass out of defence, onto the waiting stick of Zeman. The League's top goal-scorer bore down on Dangy, and placed an accurate shot through the keeper, to once again reduce the deficit to two. This gave the visitors renewed vigour, and on 46 minutes, with Aaron Davies sitting out a slashing penalty, they almost scored again. Dangy made a save, but with the puck going loose, it was up to the quick-thinking Chris Butler to whisk it away from the approaching forward. Adam Brittle and Day had a bit of a quarrel in centre-ice, which then involved several players from each team, but although no punches were thrown, Arnone and Dunn were given penalties for 'roughing'. The remainder of the match then took on a familiar theme of 'Maudsley v Blackburn', with Brittle, Davies, Rogers, Miekle, and Nurse all bringing out the best in him. Indeed, without the Manchester netminder in awesome form, the Hawks may well have racked up a cricket score, and he was unsurprisingly given their MVP. 

Blackburn's MVP went to Danny Brittle, who was as solid as ever between the pipes.

BLACKBURN HAWKS 3-1 SUTTON STING 19/01/14

With the race for a play-off spot gathering momentum, Sunday's clash between the Hawks and Sutton Sting had the potential to be a classic. Both teams had been on impressive streaks recently, and this ensured a large, if somewhat apprehensive crowd headed to the Arena. Missing Sam Dunford and Ivo Dimitrijevs from their roster, Blackburn were still able to ice three full lines, as were their opponents.

The first period started with the visitors determined to stamp their authority on the game, Sykes in particular adopting a physical style. The first chance of the evening fell to Jake Nurse, but the Hawks forward was unable to clear the puck from between his skates, when in front of Zimozdra in the Sting net. A flurry of minor penalties resulted in the home side having plenty of space on the ice, as they enjoyed a 4-on-3 powerplay, but the nearest they came was when Jon Adams found himself free on the edge of the crease, and he somehow fired wide of the open net. Sutton worked hard to close down the fluent passing of the Blackburn players, and managed to kill off the penalty quite comfortably, but were undone on 10 minutes by an incisive breakout. Nurse took the puck over the defensive blue line, and passed to the right wing, to the supporting Danny Mackriel. He advanced into the Sting zone, and fired a shot which Zimozdra could only deflect into the path of Nurse, and he took his chance, with a clinical finish beneath the keeper. However, the visitors replied in the best possible way, and equalised within a minute, when Jeffcock was allowed to approach the Blackburn net, unchallenged. He had the vision to pick out the waiting Ashton at the far post, and his pass gave him an easy opportunity, which he slotted beyond Danny Brittle in the Hawks goal. Adams almost worked himself an opening on 13 minutes, when his intricate stickwork 'bewildered' three defencemen and the keeper, but he took the puck too wide, and his shot was off target. Then, not to be outdone, Rick Ravey performed his own master class, by 'bulldozing' his way down the boards, evading the best efforts of the entire Sutton line, then battling with two defenders in the corner to regain possession for his team. This brought a rapturous round of applause from the watching crowd as he took his place back on the bench, who were thoroughly appreciative of his efforts. Nurse was in inspirational form, and his next notable contribution was to find the net for a second time, on 16 minutes. David Miekle sent Chris Arnone free on the right, and his pull back fell nicely for the approaching forward, who's accurate finish was too good for Zimozdra.

The second 20 began in quite a lacklustre fashion, with both netminders producing routine saves. Just after the half hour mark, a touch of brilliance by Brittle saw him beat two players on his own blue line, then find Aaron Davies on the right wing. Everyone knew what was coming as he drew back his stick, unleashing a ferocious slapshot into Zimozdra's chest, but the keeper did well to retain possession. A slashing call on the Blackburn goalkeeper, then a couple of co-incidental ones saw the Sting with a man-advantage, but this was quickly cancelled out when Movko received 2 minutes for high-sticks. Neither side could fashion any opportunities, and it looked as though the period would end without any goals being registered, but some inept defending allowed Miekle to seize the puck in the Sutton zone. He found Mackriel in space, and after taking a moment to control the pass, the veteran 'wristed' a shot into the far corner, to give the home side some breathing space, going into the final 20 minutes.

The third period saw the visitors come out with renewed intensity, and 'Dangy' Brittle was called upon several times to deny the Sting forwards, as they looked for a way back into the match. He was ably assisted by some resolute defending from his players, too - none more so than Ollie Lomax, who threw his frame onto the ice to block a blue line slapshot, and received a puck to the body for his trouble. A 'delay of game' penalty against Offord gave the Hawks a powerplay, but the best chance fell to the short-handed team, who robbed Scott Robson in his defensive zone. The forward was just about to gather the loose puck, when Craig Rogers hit him with a solid, but fair check, which had the crowd on their feet, cheering their approval. Adam Brittle was beginning to create lots of space on the ice, and went very close to opening his account for the evening, when he beat 4 men, but saw his shot sail agonisingly over the bar. Whilst Sutton refused to throw in the towel until the very last second, Blackburn were content to play a holding game, based on solid defence and quick counter-attacking, and saw out the remainder of the match in relative comfort.

MVP could have been given to any number of players, but deservedly went to Jake Nurse, who's 2 goals and industry throughout, were a real feature of a competent all-round team display.

BLACKBURN HAWKS 6-1 MANCHESTER MINOTAURS (CUP) 12/01/14

'Derby Days' at the Arena have always been eagerly anticipated by the Hawks fans, and looking back at the season's previous encounters, Sunday evening's clash promised to be just as intense. With the enticing prospect of being able to stake a claim for a place in the Cup Final, the home side were virtually at full strength, the only absentee being the suspended Chris Arnone. However, the visitors, due to a variety of reasons, were only able to ice 12 players, with several of their more 'influential' players missing. With Stuart Ashton deputising for Danny Brittle in the Blackburn goal, and Nicole Jackson starting for Manchester, the referee dropped the puck, to start the match.

The Hawks went straight onto the offensive, with the Minotaurs just happy to dump the puck down the ice, whenever they gained possession. An avoidable penalty for 'changing on the icing' resulted in the first powerplay of the game for Blackburn, but they couldn't find an opening. The nearest they came was when Ollie Lomax created some space for himself at the far post, but the puck passed agonisingly beyond his outstretched stick. Fortunately, the home fans did not have long to wait before the first goal of the match, and it came after only 4 minutes. A face-off was won in the offensive zone, and played out to Rick Ravey at 'point'. He took aim, and fired towards the net, but with Jackson moving to block the shot, Ivo Dimitrijevs was able to re-direct it slightly, taking it past the unfortunate keeper. Ashton was called into action to deny the Manchester import, Zeman, and with the forward regaining possession behind the goal, Craig Rogers took the opportunity to introduce him into the boards. The officials deemed it to have been a little excessive, and sat the defenceman in the penalty box for 2 minutes. It was refreshing to see the Eagles youngster, James Riddoch, being given a number of shifts throughout the game, and he acquitted himself well. On 15 minutes, Jon Adams broke through the Minotaurs defence, but his classy backhand flick flew an inch over the bar, with Jackson well beaten.

The second period began with David Miekle being put clean-through by Danny Mackriel, but his shot whistled over the top of the net, and this was closely followed by Zeman repeating the feat at the other end. On 23 minutes, the Hawks doubled their lead, courtesy of Rick Hughes. Ravey gave possession to Aaron Davies, who broke through the centre, and having beaten the defenceman, had the awareness to pick out Hughes, who walked the puck into the net. Another goal, only 3 minutes later, virtually ended the game as a contest, this time Miekle making no mistake. Ashton made a good save, then played the puck out to Reece Cairney-Witter, who set Mackriel free on the left. He, in turn found the on-rushing forward, who controlled first-time and finished high into the roof of the net. A personal duel between Ivo and Jackson saw the Latvian shoot at goal 4 times in quick succession, but was denied each time by some agile goaltending. The halfway point of the match brought goal number 4 for the Hawks, a breath-taking solo effort from Adams, who rifled a shot from the blue line into the top corner, before Jackson had time to move. The game then entered a physical phase, with both teams finishing their checks, with two huge hits coming from Davies and Cairney-Witter, respectively. Ashton's shut-out was in danger when a 2-on-1 breakout looked destined to see the Minotaurs register their first goal, but he produced a fantastic save with an outstretched pad, to deny Pollitt. The final chance of the period fell the way of Matt Viney, who did well behind the Manchester net, but his 'wrap-around' attempt was foiled.

There was a moment of concern during the interval, when paramedics were called to treat the Minotaurs' Hutchinson. He left the Arena, to a sympathetic round of applause from both sets of fans.

The final 20 minutes saw the Hawks take their foot off the gas, somewhat, as the visitors understandably began to tire. Adam Brittle fired a shot which pinged off the post, and this was followed by Blackburn's 5th goal of the evening. Mackriel found himself 1-on-1 with Jackson, and although the keeper made a good save, the defenders were unable to clear their zone, and Miekle gratefully stroked the puck home with an accurate finish. With 10 minutes remaining, the home side's superiority was rewarded once again, when concerted pressure around the net saw Ivo gain possession on the right side, and he produced a tidy shot beyond the goaltender. As the match entered it's final 2 minutes, Hughes was harshly called for tripping, and the Minotaurs took full advantage. Only 55 seconds remained when a shot from John Murray deflected off the skate of Ravey, and slid into the corner of the goal, to break Ashton's shut-out. The 6-1 scoreline was an accurate reflection of the game, with the Hawks running out worthy winner, although every credit must be given to the Manchester outfit, who never let their heads drop.

MVP was awarded to James Riddoch, who made a seamless transition to the Hawks ranks, and produced a competent display.

BLACKBURN HAWKS 5-0 WHITLEY WARRIORS 04/01/14

The Hawks 'play-off' credentials faced a stern test on Saturday evening, as they took on the Whitley Warriors at the Arena. With the home side still smarting from an improbable defeat against the visitors over a month ago, revenge was in their minds, and they took to the ice with the sole intention of claiming the two League points. Both teams were able to ice three lines, with the only absentee from the Blackburn roster being the 'free-scoring' forward, Danny Mackriel.

As usual, the Hawks looked to press straight from the opening face-off, with Matt Viney the first player to test Ritchie Lawson in the Warriors net. After 4 minutes, Reece Cairney-Witter was forced to take a tripping call, as he halted Adam Reynolds, when the forward threatened to break through the Blackburn defence. The man-advantage allowed the visitors to gain a foothold in the match, although their only opportunity to score was a shot from M.Good, which Danny 'Dangy' Brittle, the Hawks net-minder, dealt with comfortably. The Whitley side, who have always had a physical aspect to their play, did not disappoint once again, with Jamie Tinsley the main instigator. However, the home side kept their composure, refusing to be drawn into anything unnecessary, despite his best attempts. A breath-taking solo dribble by John Adams saw him beat 3 players, before finding himself one-on-one with Lawson, but the Canadian's flick towards the roof of the net went narrowly over the crossbar. However, the crowd had barely retaken their seats, when they were up again, saluting the opening goal of the evening. Chris Arnone breached the Whitley defence, and laid the puck off to Jared Owen. He, in turn gave possession to Adam Brittle, and from a yard out, he dispatched his shot into the unguarded net. A minute later, and with Craig Rogers sitting out a holding penalty, the Warriors were desperately unlucky not to get back on level terms. After a mad scramble, and with the goal gaping, the visiting forward seemed certain to poke the puck over the goal-line, but Scott Robson somehow got his stick to it first, and scooped it away to safety. The defenceman then went on one of his trademark 'carries' down the ice, but was unceremoniously upended by two Whitley players, although the referee refused to call a penalty. With Tinsley receiving an interference call, the Hawks encamped themselves in the Whitley zone for the majority of the powerplay, yet had their captain to thank for keeping them ahead. The visitors broke away on the left, and as the puck was played across the face of goal, Arnone dived full-length to re-direct it away from the waiting stick of Good. As the clock approached the 20 minute mark, Dangy was called upon to produce two classy saves within seconds of each other - firstly a 'glove' save, then an instinctive 'kick' save, from a shot through traffic. 

The 2nd period began with the Hawks reduced to 4 men, as both Owen and Arnone sat out penalties, for hooking and mis-conduct, respectively. The defensive unit managed to fragment play, however, continually turning the visitors on their heels. A crunching 'check from behind' by Reece Cairney-Witter earned him a spell in the penalty box, and it was during the penalty that Blackburn doubled their lead. A burst of speed by Adam Brittle saw the forward race clear from centre-ice, and as he crossed the blue line, he moved to his left before hitting a rasping wrist-shot into the far corner. Concerted pressure from the home side saw chances being created at regular intervals, but the Whitley net was leading a 'charmed life', with Rick Hughes unfortunate not to convert one of several 'tip-in' opportunities. However, it was far from one-way traffic, as the Warriors looked dangerous on the break. On one such occasion, David Meikle lost possession of the puck in his own zone, and had Dangy to thank when he came to his rescue, to deny Wilson. The game then became rather scrappy, with chances at a premium, and the Hawks went to the break holding a 2-goal lead.

Within a minute of the restart, Blackburn extended their advantage, courtesy of some sublime passing. Chris Butler did well in his own zone, and found Meikle on his own blue line. He showed great awareness to provide a pin-point, defence-splitting pass, straight onto the stick of Sam Dunford, and the speedy forward raced towards goal, before slipping the puck under Lawson's pads. The crowd were creating a tremendous atmosphere, ably lead by Russ, who was 'beating out the rhythms' from the balcony. With 10 minutes remaining, any lingering hopes Whitley had of a comeback were extinguished by Jon Adams, who scored the fourth goal of the night. He was in support of Brittle, who broke down the left wing, and although the pass was slightly behind him, he was still able to fire a powerful slapshot just inside the post. Brittle, Owen, and Miekle all had chances to heap further misery on the visitors, but failed to find the back of the net. Tinsley provided the Hawks with another powerplay, when he smashed Robson onto the boards, and received a 'boarding' call. This gave the home side the opportunity to move the puck around the offensive zone with some slick passing, but although they dragged the defenders out of position, they couldn't fashion any goalscoring chances. With only 2 minutes remaining, the Whitley Coach, Simon Leach, withdrew his keeper, in a final attempt to break Dangy's 'shut-out', and he was further aided by a slashing call on Robson, giving the visitors a 6-on-4 advantage. However, a combination of resolute defending and stunning netminding kept the goal intact, and it was Adams who had the final say, when he took a pass from Brittle in centre-ice. The Canadian coolly controlled the puck, looked up, and with 3 Warriors closing-in on him, shot unerringly into the open net. This completed a great evening of hockey, and capped a fine display by the Hawks, who fully deserved their comprehensive victory.

Unsurprisingly, the MVP award went to Danny Brittle, for his awesome display between the pipes.