Playoff QF Preview: Stars v Hawks 010423 020423

BILLINGHAM STARS will go into this weekend’s HockeyHound Moralee playoff quarter final series against Blackburn Hawks as favourites to progress to the Final Four in Altrincham, the Stars unbeaten in regular and overtime since January.

Blackburn’s ambitions to evolve into the powerhouse of years gone by have not quite materialised just yet, but their emphasis on youth development has some parallels with Billingham. A seventh placed finish is possibly not what the management team was hoping for at the beginning of the season, but the team has been competitive throughout the campaign and on their day they are capable of giving any team in the Division a good game. This was proved most recently when the Hawks turned over Whitley Warriors in their own barn, the Tynesiders perhaps glad to have avoided Blackburn in this quarter final round as their ‘bogey team’ this year.

The Stars have every reason to feel confident going into the weekend, they have beaten the Hawks on all four occasions this season, the last fixture between the sides ending 1-9 as Billingham ran riot on the larger Blackburn pad at the end of January. However there can be no room for complacency – the Stars were in a similar position to the Hawks this time last year when they faced Widnes Wild with the Wild as hot favourites, Billingham’s comprehensive win showing anything is possible come playoff hockey time. Billingham should be at full strength with the exception of suspended defenceman Patriks Grigors for the weekend with Finn Bradon returning to the lineup for what will be his and Tommy Spraggon’s last games before they travel to Belgrade for the IIHF Under-18 World Championship Division II Group A tournament.

Billingham will travel to Blackburn Hawks this evening for the first leg of their HockeyHound Moralee playoff quarter final, face off 6pm. The second leg is at the Forum tomorrow evening, face off 5.30pm. Tickets are priced at £12.50 adults, £8 concessions, £40 family [2+2].

Weekend Fixtures:

HockeyHound Moralee Playoff Quarter Finals:

Deeside Dragons v Whitley Warriors, Saturday 5.15pm

Solihull Barons v Widnes Wild, Saturday 5.30pm

Blackburn Hawks v Billingham Stars, Saturday 6pm

Solway Sharks v Nottingham Lions, Saturday 7pm

Whitley Warriors v Deeside Dragons, Sunday 5pm

Billingham Stars v Blackburn Hawks, Sunday 5.30pm

Nottingham Lions v Solway Sharks, Sunday 7.15pm

Widnes Wild v Solihull Barons, Sunday 7.15pm