Hull Seahawks aware time is now to find winning formula to boost NIHL National play-off chances

By Phil Harrison
Published 17th Feb 2023, 20:23 BST
Updated 17th Feb 2023, 20:23 BST
THE ODDS may continue to be stacked against Hull Seahawks making the post-season – but coach Matty Davies insists his team are already embroiled in play-off style hockey.

Having taken three points from a possible four last weekend – Finlay Ulrick’s overtime winner against Basingstoke Bison adding two points gained to the one taken from an overtime loss at Milton Keynes Lightning the night before – the Seahawks kept their hopes of a top-eight finish above.

Davies is aware that his team may run out of games in order to extend their season beyond the first weekend in April but, should they fall short, he promises it won’t be for lack of trying.

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Ahead of this weekend’s double-header against Raiders IHC, the Seahawks are 13 points adrift of Telford Tigers, who currently occupy the eighth and final play-off spot with just 12 games remaining.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE: Hull Seahawks player-coach, Matty Davies. Picture courtesy of Hull SeahawksTIME IS OF THE ESSENCE: Hull Seahawks player-coach, Matty Davies. Picture courtesy of Hull Seahawks
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE: Hull Seahawks player-coach, Matty Davies. Picture courtesy of Hull Seahawks

It’s a tall order but one which Davies is keen to try and fulfil.

"We’ve got some huge games coming up the rest of this month,” said Davies. “I always knew our play-off chances were going to come down to this month when I looked at the fixtures a while back.

"We’ve got to find it now, this is play-off hockey for us, these next few games are our play-offs if we want to stand any chance of making the post-season.

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"We’ve got to stay confident and take what we achieved last weekend and build on it. Make no mistake, we are going to work our bags off to win these games we have left and get this team into the play-offs and everyone at this club is completely committed to that.”

Elsewhere, fourth-placed Sheffield Steeldogs will look to build on their midweek 3-2 success at home to Leeds Knights when they head to Milton Keynes tonight.

They will then return home to play host to Swindon Wildcats, who sit one place below them in the standings and seven points adrift.

Leaders Leeds, who bounced back from their defeat at Ice Sheffield 24 hours later with a 5-2 win at Raiders, return to home ice today to play host to defending champions Telford, who arrive in West Yorkshire on the back of a three game win streak.

The Knights then hit the road to take on Basingstoke tomorrow.