Upbeat Hawks hope for festive cheer (From This Is Lancashire)

Upbeat Hawks hope for festive cheer

11:30am Saturday 19th December 2009 in

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Blackburn Hawks are looking to bring some festive cheer to their supporters – and end the year on a high.

The local ice-hockey aces are on a four-game winning run and they will be hoping to extend that sequence when they visit Trafford Metros later today, before welcoming Coventry Blaze to the Arena tomorrow.

Hawks’ superb recent run of results have all come in the English Cup and coach Gary Buckman is eager for his team to transfer their fine form into the league this weekend.

“We need to transfer everything we've done in the cup over the last four games into our league campaign,” he said.

“It would be great if we could finish off the Christmas period nicely and end the year on a high.

“We could then come back in January, start afresh and look to move up the table.

“We want to prove to people that we aren’t a bottom-of-the-table team.

“We should be up there with the rest. We’ve not been anihilated by anyone this season and the games that we have lost have all been by the odd goal.”

Hawks have come up against Trafford twice this season, with both teams winning a game 4-3, and Buckman is expecting a tough test again today.

“Trafford will be on a high because they won 5-2 away at Whitley Bay last weekend,” he added.

“We know that they will try to intimidate us and draw penalties, so we will have to be mindful of that.

“Coventry have spent much of the season just plugging away steadily, so I’m confident we can come away with two wins.”

Hawks’ task has been made doubly difficult however with a number of key players missing from this evening's encounter.

“My main concern is that we’re down to only two lines again,” added Buckman.

“Ollie Lomax is out for two games through suspension, Carl Slater and Lance Derbyshire are absent because of work commitments, while Chris Butler and Nick Saxton is missing because of family commitments.

“So that’s a blow, but we’ll give it a good go and try to keep the run going.”