BUBBLING Blackburn Hawks are oozing confidence ahead of tomorrow night's eagerly-awaited ice hockey play-off date with Murrayfield Royals. And no one is looking forward to the Arena showdown (face-off 6pm) more than Patrik Ferlander.

The speedy Swede is bang in form, having bagged 13 goals and six assists for the Hawks this month alone - and he is on course to net himself many more in the play offs.

"Both Patrick and Ismo (Rokala) have adapted to the British game very well and I'm more than happy with their performances, particularly over the past few weeks. They have really got to grips with things and both are going to have a vital say in how we fare," says player coach Jim Pennycook.

"Our game over here is a completely different game to the one they were used to. It took them a while to settle in, but even in the last couple of months they've both come on and we've seen them develop ever so well." Ferlander scored only three goals and five assists in his first month with the Hawks back in September.

Both Ferlander and flying Finn Rokala, with seven goals and nine assists to his name in February, rate highly in the National Premier League leading scorer standings, with Rokala just nudging ahead.

Hawks will need both imports on top form as they go into tomorrow's clash. "That's true of everyone in the side," warns Pennycook. "If one or two aren't at their best it will show. So it is up to everyone involved to pull out all the stops."

But on the strength of seven wins from their last eight games, the battling Hawks must start favourites against the Royals. Hawks notched up a 7-6 victory at Murrayfield last week, and have only lost once to them from six league games over the season.

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