Blackburn Hawks flew far too high for the weekend’s big cats, sweeping up six points with two composed, confident performances. Saturday night at home saw the Hawks outpace and out-think a determined Telford Tigers 2, before Sunday’s trip to Nottingham delivered another statement win against the Lions. Two games, two victories, and a clear message sent: when the Hawks are in full flight, no claws are sharp enough to bring them down.
Blackburn Hawks v Telford Tigers
The opening minutes set the tone for what would become a fast, open contest, with both sides spending time probing for weaknesses and trading half-chances as they tried to settle into a rhythm. Telford came out with intent, but Blackburn looked sharper with each shift — and it wasn’t long before that edge turned into the first breakthrough of the night.
McKinney picked up the puck with space to shoot and made no mistake, rifling a pinpoint effort into the bottom corner. Barnes played his part brilliantly, planting himself in front of the Tigers’ netminder and giving him no clear sight of the puck. It was a well-worked play, and it instantly raised the energy inside the rink.
What followed was a spell of end-to-end hockey, with both teams finding ways to push forward, but the Hawks consistently enjoyed the better spells of possession in the offensive zone. Their puck movement was crisp, and every shift looked more confident than the last.
The second period, however, began with a twist. Telford caught Blackburn cold and grabbed an early equaliser — a moment that hinted they might be ready to claw their way back into the contest. It was a brief moment of momentum for the visitors… and that’s all it stayed.
Because moments later, Barnes took control of the game.
Two goals in the space of three minutes — the first assisted by Brammer, the second by King — and suddenly the Tigers were on the back foot again. Barnes’ finishing was clinical, and his timing couldn’t have been better. The goals not only restored Blackburn’s lead but seemed to completely shift the tone of the game.
From that point on, the floodgates opened.
McKinney bagged his second of the night, showing the same sharp eye for goal that sparked the opener. Shortly after, Lutwyche unleashed a thunderous shot that cannoned off the bar and in — one of those strikes that gets the whole building buzzing. And to round off a dominant period, Brammer slid a picture-perfect pass across the crease, leaving Charnock with an almost empty net to tuck the puck away. Five goals in a single period reflected just how ruthlessly the Hawks punished every opening.
The third period brought its own challenge, with Blackburn soon seeing themselves on the penalty kill. But rather than giving Telford a way back, the Hawks simply showcased their depth and confidence with the Magic Man producing yet another moment of brilliance, seeing the puck past the Telford netminder, with McKinney and Cross adding the assists.
Brammer, who had been dangerous all evening and already had two assists to his name, finally added a well-deserved goal of his own. His work rate all night had been outstanding, and the finish felt like an inevitability.
Telford did manage to find a second goal past the excellent Walker — who had been rock-solid throughout despite facing several dangerous chances — but the Hawks responded instantly with another spell of pressure. As the Tigers’ defence scrambled, the puck fell kindly for Watson, who took full advantage of a stranded netminder to slot home Blackburn’s final goal of the night.
In the closing minute, the Hawks refused to ease up. Shift after shift piled into the offensive zone, forcing Telford to weather one last onslaught before the buzzer finally sounded.
Credit to the Telford Tigers 2 — this wasn’t a poor side by any stretch, and they had periods where they pushed hard and created problems. But the combination of Walker’s heroics between the pipes, the Hawks’ relentless puck control, and their clinical finishing ensured the result was never in doubt for long. On this night, Blackburn simply flew at a height the Tigers couldn’t reach.
Nottingham Lions vs Blackburn Hawks
Sunday’s clash in Nottingham kicked off at a blistering pace, with both sides trading early chances and refusing to sit back. The Hawks were first to land a blow. After Lutwyche and Barnes tested the Lions’ netminder Ballinger with a couple of sharp looks, Brammer stepped in and fired home the opener. After several minutes, he struck again setting the tone for what would be a chaotic, high-energy contest.
Ballinger, to his credit, was already working overtime to keep the Lions in touch, turning away several dangerous chances. But the barrage kept coming. Charnock added Blackburn’s third with a slick wraparound finish, bursting from behind the net and tucking the puck home with pace and confidence. At 3–0, the Hawks looked to be cruising.
The second period, though, flipped the script.
The Lions came out hungry, and an early goal gave them exactly the spark they needed. Walker and the defensive unit did everything they could to hold the line, but Nottingham eventually forced the puck across. A spell of end-to-end hockey followed, but it was the Lions who struck again, suddenly dragging the scoreline back to 3–2 and shifting the momentum entirely. Nottingham were right back in the game.
Hawks sharped their talons however, as a brilliant stretch pass down the left side sliced through the entire Lions lineup, sending Barnes in alone. With composure, he danced around Ballinger and slid home a much-needed fourth for the Hawks. It felt like the reset Blackburn desperately needed.
But Nottingham refused to fade. They pushed back with determination and soon found another goal — a scrambled effort that gave them even more belief. Moments later, fortune favoured the brave: a Lions shot deflected skyward, smacked the backboards, looped into the air, and dropped down onto Walker’s back before trickling helplessly into the net. A bizarre bounce, but it counted all the same. Just like that, the game was tied at 4–4.
Blackburn needed someone to steady the ship. Up stepped Lutwyche.
With the Hawks down a man, he seized an opportunity almost identical to his short-handed strike the night before. A burst of pace, quick hands, and a clinical finish restored the lead and silenced the home crowd. It was a momentum-shifting moment — and exactly what the Hawks needed heading into the final period.
The third period belonged to Blackburn.
The Hawks opened with sustained pressure, and Barnes extended the lead with a well-worked team goal, with Jacob and Pollitt providing the assists. Minutes later, Riddoch and Warnock combined brilliantly to set up Watson, who made no mistake in front of goal, helping Blackburn re-establish control of the game.
Still, the Lions refused to go quietly. A power play opportunity allowed them to squeeze another past Walker, reducing the deficit and keeping things tense.
But the Hawks were far from done.
Brammer — who’d already stamped his authority all over the game — drove through the zone with purpose, carving up the Lions’ defence before feeding Hajek for another fine finish.
Ballinger continued to face a relentless barrage, but the final blow came short-handed once again. Pollitt stepped up and buried the Lions’ chances and put the game completely out of reach for them in the final moments.
In the end, Nottingham put up a valiant fight and genuinely threatened to take something from the game. But the Hawks’ firepower, resilience, and ability to rise in big moments proved too much. Another statement win, and another reminder that when Blackburn start flying, few teams can keep up.