It has been an impressive opening month of the Blackburn Hawks’ 35th year. January has included three wins over local rivals Deeside Dragons, a record-breaking charity night, and an astounding 38 goals scored over the course of four games. The month came to a close with a double-header weekend featuring clashes against both the Widnes Wild and Leeds Knights 2. Sitting second in the table, the Hawks knew that victories in these two games would not only keep the pressure on league leaders Billingham but also allow them to end January with a perfect win record.

First up was a mosey on down to The Mersey as players and fans alike travelled for Saturday’s face-off against the Widnes Wild. The Hawks started strong, launching an offensive onslaught in the opening period. However, Widnes netminder Harry Campbell stood tall, facing down Blackburn’s characteristic opening-period bombardment. Despite his efforts, one shot did slip through, a beautifully struck effort from Adam Barnes at the halfway mark in the first. The Wild looked much improved from the team that had suffered a crushing 16-goal defeat in their previous encounter. They found themselves on the powerplay twice in the opening twenty minutes and came inches away from equalising, but the period ended 1-0 in Blackburn’s favour.

The second period saw the tide of the game fall further in favour of the Hawks as they began converting their relentless efforts on net. First, Lee Pollitt provided a pinpoint pass for Barnes, who doubled both his goal tally and the Hawks’ lead. Eager to catch up with Jacob Lutwyche at the top of the Hawks’ scoring table, Barnes wasted no time in securing his hat-trick, scoring his third of the game at the thirty-minute mark. The decisive middle period was rounded out by Petr Valusiak, who capitalised on a chance created by Luke Watson. With his fifth goal in as many games, Valusiak ensured the Hawks carried a commanding 4-0 lead into the final period.

The final period saw Blackburn largely focused on preserving their lead, but the Wild refused to go down without a fight. Their persistence was rewarded in the final ten minutes when Dani Haid struck a short-handed goal, making up for Bez Hughes’s Slashing penalty. Moments later, Hughes himself found redemption, exploiting a lapse in the Hawks’ defence to fire a five-hole finish past Ben Keddie. While a two-goal swing might have rattled some teams, the travelling Hawks faithful knew their side was still in control. Any lingering doubts were swiftly dispelled when, mere seconds after Hughes’ goal, Andy McKinney threaded a perfect pass through to Barnes, who tucked away his fourth of the night to seal a 6-2 victory.

With their job done in Widnes, the latter half of the last weekend in January saw Blackburn return back to a packed Hawks Nest. Whilst the fans filled in the stands in anticipation of a great game against an in-form Leeds Knights 2, everybody in attendance stood by and proudly watched the pre-game entertainment as last year’s Moralee Cup and Play-Off Champions banners were raised to rafters of Blackburn Arena. This moment, scored by rapturous applause of those very same fans who cheered on their team to success, set the stage for a drama-filled performance.

The Hawks wasted no time asserting themselves, dominating the opening five minutes in the Knights’ zone. A brief breakaway attempt by Leeds led to a face-off in Blackburn’s end, but it was the Hawks who benefitted. Adam Barnes picked up the puck on the left wing, cut inside past a helpless Nathan Bennett, and launched a shot above the shoulder of a startled Daniel Norton to open the scoring. Leeds held firm for much of the period, but their resilience began to crack when Dylan Harcourt was penalised for Holding. Harcourt believed his blushes were spared by the crossbar, after a raucous James Royds slapshot was deemed to have not crossed the line. However, neither post nor netminder could stop Daragh Spawforth’s redirect from Petr Valusiak’s shot – putting the Hawks 2-0 up going into the first intermission.

Leeds came out revitalised in the second period, bringing the game to Blackburn in a thrilling stretch of end-to-end play. Their hard work paid off when a blocked shot in front of the Hawks’ net fell to Michael Danecko, who squared it to Owen Dell for a clinical finish. The crowd called out to the referees, arguing that the play should’ve been called dead to tend to the Blackburn wounded – however these pleas fell on deaf ears. Minutes later, both teams were reduced to four skaters, setting the stage for exhilarating 4-on-4 action. As Leeds returned to full strength, they made their numerical advantage count, using the extra man as a screen for Fritz Heinzle’s blue-line bullet, which found its way past Keddie to level the score. The deadlock didn’t last long. Jacob Lutwyche (ever the difference-maker) won the ensuing face-off, collected a return pass from Spawforth, and then proceeded to dance around every Knight on the ice, finishing the exquisite movement with the puck in the back of Leeds’s net and the Hawks back in the lead. However, the Knights would not retreat from this great battle. With less than two minutes left in the period and Aaron Davies serving an Interference penalty, Oliver Wagg brilliantly circled around the back of Ben Keddie’s goal, drawing in the Hawks’ defence, space was freed up in the slot and Owen Dell was there again to convert the Knights powerplay punishment. As the second period concluded, the game was once again finely poised at 3-3.

Though the Blackburn faithful were loud in their support, an air of trepidation lingered as the Knights had made the most of their limited chances. The third period began with the score level, but the tension was quickly relieved. Matty Cross spearheaded an attacking charge and fed a pass to Daragh Spawforth, who just miss the perfectly weighted cross-crease conversion. Undeterred, the 16-year-old forward repositioned himself, received a pass from Valusiak with his back to goal, and snapped a shot on the spin which left Norton stunned, putting the Hawks back in front. This vital goal would be the tipping point and from this point on Blackburn cruised over a depressed and depleted Knights side. This did not mean that Leeds gave up. Far from it. However, with every advance from the Knights – they left their backline critically exposed. All it would take would be one cutting pass from Matty Cross, and Jacob Lutwyche would be all alone in front of the keeper, and in positions like that… Jacob Lutwyche does not miss. His second goal of the game would all but seal the deal for the home team, but conscious of leaving no brace incomplete – Blackburn’s top scorer found just enough time left in the game to complete his hattrick with a powerplay backhander, rounding off an emphatic 6-3 victory.

With this win, Blackburn continue to apply pressure on league leaders and Cup Final opponents Billingham in the race for first place. February begins as January did, with a home clash against Deeside. This will be the sixth and final meeting between the local rivals this season, and barring any post-season encounters, promises to be an explosive finale to what has been a rambunctious rivalry.

 

The Blackburn Hawks will play against the Deeside Dragons @ Blackburn Arena on Saturday 1st February, Face-Off: 6:00pm

 

Article Courtesy of Nathan Dove

FEATURED IMAGES PHOTO CREDIT: Steve Pollitt, KIPAX and Luke Riley