Your GreenliteBlackburn Hawks are delighted to be able to announce another TWO pre-season challenge games prior to the start of there 2023/24 campaign, where we will face off against more SNL opposition in the form of Kirkcaldy Kestrels.
The first of the these games will be at Planet Ice Blackburn Arena on Saturday 26th August before Hawks travel to Fife Ice Arena on Saturday 2nd September.
Head Coach Dominic Osman had the following to say:
“It’s no secret we have solidified relationships all over the country with just one year under our belt. When we looked at options for preseason games again there is no secrets that a lot of players and teams in our league do not want to play anymore games than needed and they all have their reasons. We want to hit the ground running and preseason games are important for us to get some game time together.
We feel it’s important to our organisation as well as the players to get on the ice before the season starts. When I had the talk with Steve from Kirkcaldy it was something that was immediately put into works. We have a great relationship with our Scottish friends sharing players on two ways for the sake of their development and the competitiveness of our teams.
We are ecstatic to be able to put two more games in the books before we get down to business. I would like to thank Steve and the owners of both organisations for helping this become a reality. We’re all excited to see a different opponent than the teams we see week in and week out. I think the games will be competitive and will be good for both teams so all around we are very excited.”
Kestrels Press Release:
Kirkcaldy Kestrels are pleased to announce they will play two pre-season matches against Blackburn Hawks in preparation for the new Scottish National League (SNL) campaign.
The Kestrels will visit the NIHL1 North outfit on Saturday, 26th August, before welcoming them to Fife Ice Arena on Saturday, 2nd September. The Hawks finished seventh last season, but have their sights set on forcing their way into the upper echelons of the table this time around. The fixtures will strengthen the links between the two clubs, which were established last season when the Hawks signed two Kestrels players on two-way deals.
Ben Keddie and Brodie Kay split their time between the two clubs to boost their development.
With Keddie agreeing the same deal this year, the partnership between the Kestrels and Hawks continues to flourish.
Kestrels head coach Steven Wishart commented:
“I’m delighted our team will have the opportunity to test themselves against English opposition. Having Ben and Brodie on two-way deals last season boosted their development, giving them the opportunity to shine in a different environment.
We’ve now got the chance to pitch our 2023/24 roster against the Hawks to see how they stack up against a team with big ambitions. The games are an opportunity to solidify the relationship between the clubs and give both sets of fans the chance to see some different opposition. The two fixtures will also be the perfect way to get each team up-to-speed for the new season. Scotland versus England games are always competitive affairs and these two fixtures will undoubtedly fall into the same category. Hopefully there will be good crowds in attendance at both games as we put the finishing touches to our preparations for the new campaign.”