WHILE he may be excited about the prospect of locking horns with the “best” team in NIHL National this weekend, Hull Seahawks’ coach Matty Davies is quick to point out that nothing will be decided in October.

Under GB head coach Pete Russell, Milton Keynes Lightning have come out of the blocks flying in 2026-27.

Until last Sunday, they enjoyed a 100 per cent return, their run halted by a 3-2 shoot-out loss at third-placed Romford Raiders.

But the team separating those two is Hull, who sit just one point off the Lightning after winning seven of their opening eight games.

It is the best start Davies’ team have enjoyed in the five seasons since he first brought second-tier hockey back to his hometown.

And while he believes he has a team capable of lifting a first-ever piece of silverware this season, he and his players are conscious of not getting too far ahead of themselves.

So far, so good is the mantra being preached around Hull Ice Arena, but this weekend’s double-header against the Lightning will give a further indication of how much more work the Seahawks have to do.

“On paper, it’s obviously a big weekend,” said Davies. “But you also don’t want to go overboard and place too much emphasis on it because we are still in October.

BIG WEEKEND: Second-placed Hull Seahawks take on NIHL National leaders Milton Keynes Lightning in back-to-back games this weekend. Picture: Amy Blossom/Seahawks Media.

placeholder image — BIG WEEKEND: Second-placed Hull Seahawks take on NIHL National leaders Milton Keynes Lightning in back-to-back games this weekend. Picture: Amy Blossom/Seahawks Media.

“We played Leeds on opening night and that is always a tough test but this represents our biggest test of the season so far.

“But it’s a test we’re looking forward to. For us, it's about competing and making sure that we out-compete them and that's my biggest challenge in going up against this team.

“The players are excited about the challenge and want to prove to themselves more than anything - prove that they can go into a rink like theirs and really challenge and really compete against that team.”

The first meeting takes place in Milton Keynes tonight with Hull’s 100 per cent record in the National Cup at stake. The two then face-off against each other on Sunday over in East Yorkshire.

Davies is not surprised in the least at the start the Lightning have enjoyed, something he believes is down to the impact Russell is having on a team Davies believes to be the best, on paper at least.

“I think when everyone found out Pete was coming in, we all sort of knew, or I certainly knew, that they were going to probably change the way that they had played over the past few years,” added Davies.

“They look like they're playing the best hockey. Watching them back - and I've watched a lot of their games this week - they're playing some proper stuff, playing hard and going to hard areas.

“He's obviously a really good coach, he knows what he's doing, he's been there, done it over and over and he obviously knows how to set teams up and how to get them playing good stuff.

“So I'm not surprised. And on paper, they've got the best team in the league - everyone knows that quite clearly - but that does not mean that gets you a win of anything.”