Hull Seahawks look to end losing streak at Swindon Wildcats and open up battle for NIHL National supremacy

Those hopes were boosted further by a shock 2-0 win for Sheffield Steeldogs at Swindon on Friday night, meaning a win for Hull at the same venue would close the gap on the Wildcats to just three points.

Seahawks got back on the win trail with a 7-5 victory at Ice Sheffield on Tuesday night, striking a further blow to their Yorkshire rivals’ play-off hopes.

But Steve Weeks’ short-benched team revitalised their hopes of making the post-season with a stunning performance in Wiltshire, Jason Hewitt’s 35th-minute power play strike being complimented by a late empty-net strike from Matt Bissonnette to leave Aaron Nell’s team – and their outside hopes of the regular season title – reeling.

The Seahawks’ win in Sheffield, meanwhile, was the positive response they themselves had been looking for following their 8-2 defeat at Raiders two nights earlier, their heaviest defeat of the campaign.

Their second heaviest reverse came at Swindon’s Link Centre on December 29 when they went down 8-3.

And while Davies knows it will be a tall order for his fourth-placed team to end their losing streak in Swindon – they lost on all three visits in 2022-23 too – he believes they are capable of springing a surprise and further opening up the battle for supremacy at the top of the regular season standings.

“We can definitely go to Swindon and win,” said Davies, who will be missing defenceman Thomas Stubley through injury and forward Lee Bonner to suspension.

“We had a blip last Sunday at Raiders but sometimes it is good to get back to reality and realise that we are only a good team when we play the right way and not get sucked into thinking we’re better than we are.

“We’ve got a chance to close the gap on Swindon but we know it’s always a difficult place to go. We’ve never been brilliant in Swindon and they are so good on home ice – but I know we’ve got it in us to beat them.”

Young forward Rhys Edwards – on a two-way deal with NIHL ONe side Widnes Wild – and who impressed both at Raiders and in Sheffield when he scored his first NIHL National goal, will again be with the Seahawks this weekend, as they close out their road trip with a visit to Bees IHC on Sunday.