The YKK sponsored Widnes Wild play their first home game of the New Year this Sunday 15th January when they take on north west rivals Blackburn Hawks at Planet Ice Widnes, 5.30pm face off.
Games against the Hawks are always keenly contested and passionate affairs and honours are more or less even between the two teams in their meetings so far this season with 2 wins each out of 4 games.
Widnes won the first league fixture 4-3 at home back in November and then lost 3-2 away in East Lancashire in December. Sandwiched between those games were a 2-legged North West Cup competition which Widnes won 7-4 on aggregate after a 3-2 defeat away and 5-1 win at home.
The Hawks haven’t played a game since before Christmas when they lost 6-5 away to Deeside Dragons and then beat Nottingham Lions 9-4 at home in the final weekend of games.
Widnes have had a frustrating start to 2023 with a 5-1 cup defeat away at Solway last Saturday and then a game called off at Nottingham on Sunday. Following on from two league defeats before Christmas, they will be hoping for a good performance against the Hawks to kick start their mid-season push up the league table.
The Wild currently occupy 5th place in the Moralee Division table with 17 points from 16 games while Blackburn are one place behind with 14 points from 18 games. As the quarter final pairings for the end of season play offs are determined by final league positions, every point from every game is highly significant so both teams will be approaching Sunday’s game with a sense of purpose.
As well as the usual 50/50 draw and Chuck a Duck game, fans will also have the chance to win Calum Ruddick’s playing shirt straight off his back at the end of the game. Tickets for the SOTB draw will cost £1 each and will be available from the raffle table at the entrance.
The Player of the Month Award for December will also be presented at the end of the game.
The match on Sunday faces off at 5.30pm and doors open at 4.45
As usual, after the game, two Wild players will be available to meet with supporters for photos and autographs. Please note that this is now taking place in a new location in the corner of the rink by the entrance to the changing rooms - and not down by the café as was the case in previous years.
For anybody who is not able to attend Sunday’s game, the Wild’s broadcasting partners BASN are livestreaming all home league games this season over the internet. Online viewing tickets can be booked to watch the game HERE
WILD JUNIOR ACADEMY
The Wild Academy Under 10 team host a 4-team “cross ice” tournament at Planet Ice Widnes on Saturday 14th January where they will take on teams from Manchester, Blackburn and Bradford. The action starts at 4.15pm.
Following that, at 5.40pm, the Wild Academy Under 12 team take on the Whitley Under 12s.
Admission to all Wild Academy home games at Planet Ice Widnes is free and spectators are encouraged to go along and support the Wild stars of the future.
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