PREVIEW: MATCH WEEK 33
ALL EYES on Sheffield! It’s the weekend the players and fans have been waiting and aiming for as the National Ice Hockey League Moralee Division playoffs reaches its climax with a repeat of last year’s final tomorrow, followed by a National playoff final on Sunday where the winners of the Stars v Blackburn Hawks game will take on the winners of the Britton Division playoff final between Slough Jets and Streatham Redhawks.
Long-time rivals and the only team to win more than one game against the Stars this season, it’s Blackburn once again for Billingham tomorrow as the two battle it out for the Moralee playoff title just as they did this time last year. So far this season the Hawks have had to settle for bridesmaid status, runners-up in both the League and Cup means that the playoff crown is their last chance to put some silverware back in the cabinet. Despite coming off second-best in all other competitions this season, Blackburn have reasons to be confident about retaining their playoff trophy as they proved themselves worthy of their ‘big game team’ status with a come-from-behind semi-final victory at Solihull Barons last Sunday. Certainly they will more than fancy their chances on the large pad at IceSheffield – in a one-off winner-takes-all game they have the players to carry them through, their strong offensive threat led by Adam Barnes, Jacob Lutwyche and Liam Charnock. They will have to do without talented youngsters Daragh Spawforth and Josh Crawley tomorrow, but the Hawks have more than enough depth to cover and will be going all out to keep their hands on the trophy they won in such dramatic fashion last year.
🔗 Blackburn Hawks on Elite Prospects: https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/2114/blackburn-hawks
Billingham made the Steel City Showdown in fine style with a 21-3 aggregate demolition of Deeside Dragons in last weekend’s semi-final, setting up another redemption arc as they face the team that snatched the playoff title from them on penalties last year. The Stars are still on for a clean sweep of available trophies for the campaign, a win tomorrow adding the Moralee playoff crown to the League and Cup already in the bag. A full bench is expected, with only Joe Dowdle likely to miss out due to ongoing injury issues.
The Stars meet Blackburn Hawks in the National Ice Hockey League Moralee playoff final tomorrow at IceSheffield, face off 4.45pm. The winner of this final will go on to play the winner of the Britton playoff final to decide the National playoff winners on Sunday, face off 4.30pm.
Weekend Fixtures:
Steel City Showdown Saturday:
Laidler final:
🐯 Telford Tigers 2 🆚 Sutton Sting 🐝
Wilkinson final:
🐦🔥 Guildford Phoenix 🆚 Peterborough Phantoms 2 👻
Moralee final:
💫 Billingham Stars 🆚 Blackburn Hawks 🦅
Britton final:
✈️ Slough Jets 🆚 Streatham Redhawks 🐦
Steel City Showdown Sunday:
Laidler final winner 🆚 Wilkinson final winner
Moralee final winner 🆚 Britton final winner