After last weekend’s rollercoaster, where the Hawks’ unbeaten run was ended in dramatic fashion at Solihull before they rebounded with a resounding win back home, Blackburn were straight back into the thick of the action. This Remembrance Weekend brought a fiery double-header against familiar foes and title rivals, the Deeside Dragons. The Dragons came to The Nest off the back of a similarly spicy weekend – losing away down in Shropshire to Telford before mauling the Tigers in North Wales on the Sunday. Their main man from Massachusetts, Jake Witkowski, led the league in both goals and points going into this weekend. Blackburn meanwhile, were able to ice a full-strength roster, and the rivalry had an added layer of intensity with no fewer than fifteen players across both teams having worn each club’s jersey at some point in their careers. Before a puck was dropped, the evening carried a more solemn significance. The Hawks took to the ice wearing black-and-gold jerseys, specially designed by Ethan Tarpey to honour those from the community who have served in the armed forces. A two-minute silence was impeccably observed by players and supporters from both sides. As the final note of the Last Post faded, the sense was clear that both sides demonstrated respect before rivalry.
The action commenced and a familiar sight struck down Dragons’ fan’s hearts as two of Deeside’s stars from last season combined to get the first opening goal – only this time it was for their arch rivals. Czech forward Jakub Hajek played in Garry Simpson bang on the two-minute mark, who converted effortlessly with a rifled shot past Tyler de la Bertouche. The atmosphere ignited instantly, but Deeside responded well. A slashing call on Liam Charnock put the Dragons on the powerplay and they made full use of it. Deeside’s stateside synergy was on full display as Colin Cromie finished up a nice feed from Witkowski to level up the scores. The tit-for-tat continued as Blackburn, now restored to even strength, re-took the advantage through another former Dragon, Andy McKinney. Yet the period would end square, as Daniel Fadejevs managed to squeeze one past Harrison Walker late on, ensuring the contest remained precariously poised at 2–2.
The visitors came out swinging in the second period and grabbed their first lead of the night thanks to a moment of individual brilliance. Ross Kennedy toe-dragged through two defenders before picking out the top corner with a highlight-reel finish. The Dragons now had momentum. Blackburn needed a response and found it through a moment of controlled powerplay execution. After former Hawk Damarni James was pulled for boarding, the Hawks made their man advantage count with Hajek punching in the equaliser to bring the game back to 3–3. Then came a flash of pure, unfiltered quality from Jack Brammer. After some exchanges with Rhys Edwards throughout the period, Brammer picked the puck up in his own zone, accelerated through the neutral ice, slipped past the Deeside defence, and roofed a finish to restore Blackburn’s lead. Yet this breathless contest remained impossible to predict. Within twenty seconds, Deeside’s elusive Illinoisan Colin Cromie struck again to level things up at 4–4. A game played at breakneck speed, with neither side willing to back down, however this back-and-forth would be broken by the biggest flashpoint of the night. For the third time in the period, the goal behind De la Bertouche came off its moorings as play unfolded around his crease. However, when Garry Simpson’s shot still ended up in the net, the officials deliberated before ultimately awarding the goal, arguing the puck had crossed before the net was intentionally dislodged. Deeside’s frustration was clear. The Hawks went into the break 5–4 ahead, but the game was now simmering with even more tension.
If the first and second periods were chaotic, the third certainly belonged to Blackburn. Charlie Thompson finished a fantastic breakaway opportunity, giving the Hawks a two-goal cushion and proving that the Yorkshireman is settling to life in the Red Rose county. The noise inside The Nest swelled with this strike, and shortly after Andy McKinney added his second of the night against his former club. The Hawks finished off a dominant third period display with a Jacob Lutwyche shot taking a deflection but dropping beautifully into the back of de la Bertouche’s net for Blackburn’s eighth. The final buzzer confirmed a statement victory: Hawks 8 Dragons 4. A derby played with full intensity, and a third period that showed Blackburn’s control, poise, and finishing edge in big moments.
But there was no time to bask in the performance. Within 24 hours, the rivalry resumed as the Hawks flew over the border into the land of the dragon. Blackburn named an unchanged lineup, whilst Deeside were strengthened by the return of Will Harper from suspension, adding yet more bite to an already ferocious matchup. The Den was packed, noise ricocheting from every angle. Blackburn’s travelling support made themselves heard, but the home crowd answered with equal fire.
The Dragons came out flying. Their intensity from the first whistle forced Blackburn onto the back foot, and just three minutes in, Matty Barlow beat Walker to give the hosts the opening goal. The rest of the first period was less about scoring chances and more about control of the middle ice. Both teams leaned heavily into physical play, resulting in multiple penalties but no further goals. The second period upped the ante, but this very much went against the Hawks. Exasperation ensued in the offensive zone as Blackburn registered 16 shots on target, however Tyler de la Bertouche exceeded his brilliant performance from the previous night with several gasp-inducing stops to keep the Hawks at bay. The pressure built, and the Hawks’ frustration began to spill over. Cross-checking calls, misconducts, and moments of miscommunication left Blackburn chasing control rather than the puck. Then came the blow. As Blackburn returned to full strength from yet another penalty kill, Ross Kennedy struck again for Deeside, doubling the Dragons’ lead and sending the arena into rapturous celebration. The rest of the second period flew by with Blackburn banging on de la Bertouche’s door, but the young prospect between the pipes defiantly defended his domicile.
The third period brought a shift in tone. Whatever was said in the Hawks’ dressing room resonated. Blackburn came out aggressive, urgent and determined to claw their way back. But with aggression came risk and when you take risks against lethal scorers, the margin is thin. Witkowski punished the Hawks three minutes into the period, making it 3–0 and appearing to slam the door shut. Yet, Blackburn refused to fold. Tom Barry returned from the penalty box and immediately sparked a shift that saw McKinney send Lutwyche in behind the defence. The finish was clinical from the Magic Man who finally got the Hawks on the board. The away support erupted. Moments later, after Deeside took a delay-of-game penalty, Blackburn’s powerplay moved with direction and precision. Again, McKinney was the architect, this time feeding Adam Barnes, who converted to bring the game back to 3–2. The final minutes were a siege on the Dragons’ goal. Every clearance was cheered; every shot drew breath from the stands. The Hawks pushed and pressured but it was too little too late. Time ran out for Blackburn as Deeside held on. The weekend ended with honours shared with one win each, and one message made clear: this rivalry would continue to define each team’s season.
Though it felt like so much happened over the weekend, the league standings remained almost identical. The Hawks are still perched atop Deeside by six points (with two games in hand), however Solihull still lead the pack at the top of the table, four points adrift from Blackburn in second. Next weekend sees another double-header for the boys in Black, Red and Yellow – with the first contest being a home encounter with Vladimir Luka’s terrific Telford Tigers team. The following day sees another Sunday night excursion with the Hawks flying down to the National Ice Centre to wrestle with the Nottingham Lions. As all teams enter an incredibly busy festive period, the Blackburn Hawks look set to hunt down that top spot they occupied for the opening weeks of the season.
The Blackburn Hawks will play against the Telford Tigers 2 @ Blackburn Arena on Saturday November 15th, Face-Off: 6pm
The Blackburn Hawks will also play against the Nottingham Lions @ National Ice Centre on Sunday November 16th, Face-Off: 5:30pm
Article Courtesy of Nathan Dove
FEATURED IMAGES CREDIT: Steve Pollitt and KIPAX