The Blackburn Hawks returned to action on Sunday night following last weekend’s sensational double-header sweep of title rivals Solihull Barons, results which had firmly established Blackburn as the pace-setters in the championship race. After weeks of relentless festive scheduling, the Hawks were afforded a brief reprieve with just one fixture this weekend: a short but always fiery trip to Cheshire to face local rivals Widnes Wild. The Chesire side came into the contest sitting seventh in the standings, having smashed Leeds Knights 2 with a commanding home victory the previous weekend before pushing defending champions Billingham Stars all the way in a narrow Teesside defeat. With Deeside and Solihull set to face one another on the same evening, the equation was simple for Blackburn: take care of business on the Mersey and the gap at the summit would stretch even further. Despite the short journey, the Hawks were not without disruption. Jacob Lutwyche was unavailable up front, though the return of Charlie Thompson softened that blow. At the back, Cade King’s absence was compounded by Tom Barry’s suspension, leaving Blackburn reshuffled as they looked to protect their league-leading position.
A sizeable travelling Hawks contingent made the journey down to Earle Road, ensuring the atmosphere crackled from puck drop. The Wild added to the festive flavour by skating out in red jerseys designed to resemble Santa Claus outfits, perhaps hoping for an early Christmas gift against the league leaders. What followed, however, was no giveaway. The opening period was an evenly matched, end-to-end affair defined by defensive discipline and outstanding goaltending. Widnes impressed at the back, clogging passing lanes and blocking shooting opportunities to prevent Blackburn from landing one of their trademark early strikes. Chances came at both ends, but Harrison Walker and Luca Tessadri were flawless between the pipes. Widnes even edged the shot count by a single effort, yet neither side could find the breakthrough. The 0–0 scoreline at the first intermission was a rare sight in Hawks games this season, with Blackburn clearly yet to shift out of first gear.
That changed almost immediately after the restart. Just twelve seconds into the second period, the deadlock was broken. Crisp build-up play from Jack Brammer and Lee Pollitt found Adam Barnes in the slot, and the in-form forward made no mistake, ripping a shot past Tessadri’s left side to silence the home crowd and give Blackburn a crucial lead. Despite the breakthrough, the middle frame followed a similar pattern to the first. Both teams’ defences calcified, and when forwards did break through, the goaltenders responded in spectacular fashion. Tessadri and Walker traded highlight-reel saves, keeping the game delicately poised. Blackburn had a prime opportunity to extend their lead when former Hawk Ben McLellan was sent off for high-sticking, but Widnes killed the penalty effectively, with McLellan continuing an impressive showing against his old side. Once again, the Wild narrowly outshot Blackburn, yet the score remained 1–0 heading into the final period.
With such a slender advantage, the Hawks knew they could not afford complacency. Whatever was said during the final intermission had the desired effect. Blackburn emerged with renewed intent, doubling their shot output and sustaining long spells of pressure in the Wild zone. Tessadri was subjected to a relentless test and answered it superbly, none more so than when he denied Adam Barnes on a clean breakaway, drawing a roar of approval from the home crowd. As the clock ticked into the final ten minutes, Widnes pushed for an equaliser while trying not to overextend themselves defensively. Calm heads were required, and veteran Bez Hughes provided exactly that. Making a record-breaking 309th appearance in a Widnes jersey, Hughes marshalled the defence with experience and composure, ensuring the Wild stayed within striking distance. Yet for all their effort, Widnes could not solve Harrison Walker. The Hawks netminder was ice-cold under pressure, calmly turning aside everything sent his way to preserve Blackburn’s narrow lead. When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard told only part of the story. A 1–0 result suggested a tight contest, but the game had been anything but dull. Both goaltenders were exceptional, though it was Walker who claimed the spotlight, recording his second shutout of the season and ensuring the Hawks flew home with another vital two points.
The Hawks did their job, adding another three points to their tally and extending their table-topping to new heights. The same night as Blackburn’s conquering of the Wild, the Solihull Barons got burnt at the Dragons Den, meaning that the Hawks are now ten points clear of any challengers. The final weekend before Christmas sees Blackburn back in double header mode. First they host the Leeds Knights 2 in a special festive face-off at The Nest, before getting in their sleigh up to the frozen Humber for a clash with the Hull Jets.
The Blackburn Hawks will play against the Leeds Knights 2 @ Blackburn Ice Arena on Saturday December 20th, Face-Off: 6:00pm
The Blackburn Hawks will also play against the Hull Jets @ Hull Ice Arena on Sunday December 7th, Face-Off: 5:30pm
Article Courtesy of Nathan Dove
FEATURED IMAGES CREDIT: Steve Pollitt