BLACKBURN Hawks have booked their place in the English National League Ice Hockey play-offs despite suffering a 3-1 home defeat to leaders Solway Sharks on Sunday.

Jared Owen gave the hosts the lead against the leaders who were defending a 27-match unbeaten run stretching back to September, but two goals in the a minute at the start of the third period cost Hawks as the Solway came back to win.

But, after other results went in their favour, Hawks are assured of a top-four finish and a likely play-off date with the Sharks – giving Owen food for thought as his side prepare for the final four games of the regular season.

“They are likely to be our opponents in the play-offs and I think we showed that we can cause them problems,” said the skipper after the defeat.

“But they have showed a lot of character to come back into the game and ultimately take the win.

“If we want to win the overall though we are going to have to beat Solway at some stage whether it is a final or a semi-final and I think we can do it.

“We need to make sure we go in there with some momentum and really give our all in the final four games and hopefully, if we do end up against Solway, we can beat them.”

Owen’s goal was just reward for a strong Hawks start in Sunday night’s encounter but the Blackburn skipper was ultimately left to rue a mad third quarter as Sharks hit back.

“We just had a mad two minutes really,” said Owen. “We were 1-0 up going into the third quarter and they equalised and then within 45 seconds they scored another scrappy goal and after that we were chasing the game.

“We had some chances and played well but they scored again in the final quarter and we just couldn’t find a way back into the match.”

The result leaves Hawks six points adrift of third place Sutton Sting with only eight points left to play for. Blackburn travel to Telford Titans on Saturday (3.30pm) before hosting Sheffield Spartans on Sunday (5.45pm).