the big Freeze BLACKBURN Hawks open up the new ice hockey season at the Arena tomorrow night.

Hawks will entertain Flintshire Freeze, formerly Deeside, in a special challenge match over two legs -- the return to be staged in Flintshire on Sunday.

Player-coach Bobby Haig has re-signed last season's player of the year defenceman Gordon Whyte and has also added two new faces to his squad, forward Michael Brunton from Dumfries and one-time Hawks forward Chris Cheadle from Kingston. Hawks will start their English National League fixture programme on Sunday, September 10 with a home date against Billingham.

The ENL includes seven other clubs, Whitley Bay, Flintshire, Kingston, Sunderland, Bradford, Sheffield and Altrincham.

Tomorrow's action will face-off at 6pm with admission prices set at £4.50 (adults), £2.50 (concessions) and £12 (family ticket).

Those prices, the same as last year, will apply to all home matches during the 2000-2001 season.

Watch out for a full preview to the Hawks new season next with in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.