Leeds Knights 2 on mission to delay Blackburn Hawks' NIHL North One title celebrations

The visitors require just one win to secure the regular season title, although they may prefer to do that when taking on Deeside Dragons on home ice on Sunday.

Either way, it is a daunting task facing Leeds' young team, who are desperately trying to secure a play-off spot for themselves, currently trailing Nottingham Lions by eight points with just 10 games remaining.

Head coach Davey Lawrence says the Knights must focus only on themselves as they seek to secure crucial points in the race to make the post-season - something they only achieved last year on the final day.

“There's an extra incentive there to not lose this game but we'll see where we are on Saturday night - we've just got to concentrate on us,” said Lawrence.

“We know that they're coming in to do a job and they've got a job to do, but we've got a job to do in terms of trying to make the play-offs. That has to be our sole focus.

“I think the pressure's on them. If they don't win it on Saturday, then they've got to go into another game on Sunday or next week and try and do it again.”

It’s not a terrible run-in for Lawrence’s side with two games against Yorkshire rivals - and bottom of the table - Sheffield Scimitars coming up as well as two games against the side just above them in the table, Nottingham, who they currently have two games in hand on.

Lawrence insists they have to try and stay in games going into the final stages in order to try and get results.

“It's a mixed run-in, I would say,” added Lawrence. “It's not an easy one, but it's not necessarily an overly-difficult one either. We've just got to make sure we're staying in games and in touching distance into that last 10-20 minute spell.

“Hopefully that gives us a chance to win on any night. This league's proved through this season alone why anybody's capable of beating anybody on any given night.

“If you can stay in games till that last 10-minute spell, then you've got a chance.”