HULL SEAHAWKS coach Matty Davies hopes “mixing things up” for his team’s pre-season will pay dividends once the real action starts later this month

The Seahawks play host to the Netherlands’ Tilburg Trappers on Saturday night before welcoming Leeds Knights 24 hours later – a warm-up for the game between the Yorkshire rivals which opens the 2026-27 NIHL National season for both teams on Friday, September 18.

Given the Dutch team ply their trade in Germany’s third tier Oberliga North, it is expected to provide a tough pre-season workout for Hull, as well as Leeds who they visited on Friday night.

But Seahawks’ coach Matty Davies was keen to mix things up for his team this pre-season and is looking forward to the challenge of taking on a team who won 9-1 at Milton Keynes Lightning in their pre-season ahead of the 2025-26 NIHL National campaign.

“I just wanted to change it up this year and play a team from a better league,” said Davies. “It will be tough, they won comfortably at Milton Keynes this time last year so we expect them to be a quality side.”

The Trapper warmed up for their assignment in Hull by first visiting the Knights at Elland Road Ice Arena on Friday.

In a tight, entertaining affair it took until late in the second period before the deadlock was broken, Marco Cavalleri finding a way past Sam Gospel at 37.01.

The visitors doubled their lead on the powerplay in the 47th minute, with Matt Bissonnette in the penalty box for a combined roughing and cross checking call.

Liam Peyton gave the Knights hope with a power play strike with just over five minutes remaining but, as the Knights pushed to restore parity, the Trappers were able to make the game safe with a goal from Phil Marinaccio at 58.11.

Sheffield Steeldogs kick off their pre-season with a double-header weekend against Solway - playing host at Ice Sheffield on Sunday (4pm).

With everybody now present and correct on his roster – import forward Dante Salituro the last to arrive as a late replacement for the recently-retired Bair Gendunov, Steeldogs’ head coach Slava Koulikov sis looking forward to seeing his players in action for the first time.

"This is the first full week of pre-season with the games and we’re in a good place after the first two sessions of having everybody here,” said Koulikov.

"The guys are excited but we’re at the beginning and everybody is.

"It will be a tough two games. Solway is a much-improved team and they are already four games in (to their pre-season) but that is what we want – we want to play a good opponent who is going to put us under pressure. It’s always a difficult place to play.”