Home games at The Nest continued on Sunday, as the Blackburn Hawks looked to extend their unbeaten streak after last week’s decisive dismantling of the Hull Jets. Sunday night’s game saw the Nottingham Lions return to Lancashire, hoping to recreate the result from September, where they bested Blackburn 5-3 in the home opener.
Beyond the action on the ice, the evening carried special significance as the Hawks partnered with local charity Healthier Heroes to honour those who have served in the armed forces. The Blackburn Sea Cadets were welcomed as special guests, leading pre-game tributes in a moving ceremony that set the tone for the evening. The Hawks also sported special Armed Forces Day jerseys, later raffled off to raise funds for Healthier Heroes and their vital community work.
In classic Hawks style, the game began with an explosive first period that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Both teams exchanged chances early, coming agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock within the opening minutes. My sympathies go out to any spectators who scheduled their hot dog run or toilet trip for the six-minute mark, as the game would completely change over the course of two minutes. The first strike came from Hawks forward Andy McKinney, who converted comfortably from a Lee Pollitt assist to give the Hawks a deserved lead. However, Pollitt was not done. Just 14-seconds later the forward assisted again as he set-up Devids Jurinenoks for his sixth goal of the season. This brutal one-two punch from Blackburn could’ve killed the game off, however the young Lions did not sit and lick their wounds. They responded exactly a minute later, clawing back a goal through Toby Fisher. The fast-paced and feisty period saw both sides battling hard, with the next goal poised to dictate the game’s momentum. It came in the 11th minute when Luke Watson, converting an Aaron Davies assist, restored Blackburn’s two-goal cushion. This goal was Watson’s second in as many games and highlights the offensive threat present in every Hawks player.
The second per
iod saw the Hawks go defensive. While Watson and his teammates shifted focus to containment, the Lions struggled to find gaps in the Hawks’ structure. Although goalless, the middle frame saw Blackburn’s persistence wear down the tired legs of their travelling opponents, setting the stage for a decisive third period. In the final 20 minutes, Head Coach Dom Osman opted to swap goalies, with Ollie Thomasson taking over from Ben Keddie between the pipes. Thomasson picked up where Keddie left off, maintaining the Hawks’ defensive solidity. Blackburn’s focus remained on sealing the victory with a final offensive push, and they succeeded midway through the period. Pollitt capped off an impressive night with his third assist, setting up Josh Crawley to make it 4-1 and extinguish any hopes of a Nottingham comeback. As the final buzzer sounded, Blackburn’s dominance was clear, marking yet another statement victory in front of their home crowd.
Whilst a win at the Hawks Nest has become a common sight over the past few weeks, Blackburn showed great character in overcoming a team who had previously bested them at home. Head Coach Dom Osman mused on how the team have developed as the season has progressed, highlighting how ‘We knew we weren’t really good enough in the beginning [of the season], you could put that down to a whole number of things but we are not focused on that now – what we are focusing on is moving forward and getting better with each game’.
Next up for the Hawks is a trip down to Solihull for a League and Cup clash against the Barons. Blackburn go into the game unbeaten in the Cup this season, Osman notes ‘It’s really great to get the results in the cup games, as far as I’m concerned it’s not something we directly focus on but we are aware of it and we know how important these matches are coming up in the cup, and our goal is to just finish as high as possible. All that being said, we need to make sure we are doing the right things moving forward as a team’.
With a large contingent of Hawks fans planning on making the Midlands trip on Sunday, the support of the Blackburn faithful is as strong as ever. 627 spectators were in attendance for this very special Armed Forces Night, with a large amount of money being raised for Healthier Heroes. This support is huge and everyone in the Blackburn Hawks organisation hopes to see the same backing for our next theme night coming in the new year…
The Blackburn Hawks will play against the Solihull Barons @ Planet Ice Solihull on Sunday 17th November, Face-Off: 5:30pm
Article Courtesy of Nathan Dove
FEATURED IMAGES PHOTO CREDIT: TONY KIPAX