Hull Seahawks coach Matty Davies on how he will fill gap left by suspended Bobby Chamberlain

Chamberlain is banned for the first four Group A play-off games for his role in the on-ice fracas that broke out at Bristol Pitbulls when the game had to be abandoned early by match officials, with the hosts awarded the points having led 6-3 at the time.

It means the Seahawks captain will miss this weekend’s clashes against Peterborough Phantoms, as well as next week’s games against Leeds Knights. He will return for the final weekend of group games against Telford Tigers on April 12-13.

“We’re going to miss Bobby massively,” said head coach Davies. “He is a big part of that first line and what makes that line work so well and just his presence in general, his will to win and everything he brings to the team.

“He’s one of the best British players in this league - any team would miss a player of his calibre. It’s a terrible blow for us, terrible timing. But it’s happened and I think he’s lucky that he’s still going to come back in the play-offs and play at least two games for us - hopefully more.”

Replacing a player who finished the regular season as the second-best British points-scorer in the NIHL National with 96 points - including 50 goals - is no simple task.

But that job has been handed to 18-year-old Owen Bruton, who will step up to play alongside Emil Svec and Owen Sobchak for today’s play-off opener at home to Peterborough phantoms (face-off 5.30pm).

Davies is confident the GB Under-20 international is more than up to the task.

“Bruts is a player that we’ve been talking about wanting a top six role and thinking he’s ready for it and tracking that way,” added Davies. “So here’s four games, the toughest four games are here to prove yourself and to stake your claim that you can play in a top six role in these kind of massive games.

“And I’ve got no doubt he’ll deliver.”

Having failed to get out of the group stage last year - a 6-5 defeat at home to Peterborough making progress impossible - Davies is adamant his team simply has to get to the SkyDome Arena.

“I remember that game and I remember the feeling after it,” said Davies. “And I said one thing after the game and that was ‘Everyone in this room, you need to remember this feeling and what it feels like right now, and the disappointment that you all feel’

“And the majority of those players are still in the room now and they know.

“We’ve had a good few weeks of preparing for this point in the season and trying to get the team into a good spot where our game is ready to go at the intensity that we need it to.”