FINAL SCORE : WILDCATS 7 BISON 2 (3-0, 4-2, 0-0)
By Nigel Simmonds
Refs : Mr Ions & Mr Wells
Lino’s : Mr Edwards & Miss Prior
After last weekends, win/lose split weekend, your GalxC Cooling Services sponsored Basingstoke Bison, made the fairly short trip to Wiltshire, to face Aaron Nell’s Swindon Wildcats side. This would be the first of a treble header game weekend for the Bison. Swindon & Bristol Away, before back to Home ice on Sunday, versus the Raiders IHC.
The Bison scratches this game, would be Carl Graham, Edgars Landsbergs, Roman Cathcart, Oli Hemmings-Maher, Josh Kelly & Aidan Doughty.
Rene Marr & Jordan Lawday would both be given the nod, to start between the pipes, for their respective teams.
From the drop of the puck, it really was a miserable start for the Bison.
Not long after the opening face-off, they found themselves behind, after just 22 secs. Aaron Nell (Malasinski, Pakozdi) on hand, to tap home from close range.
28 secs later and the Bison would find themselves a man down.
Liam Morris was called for Boarding (0.50). Thankfully, the visitors PK units managed to keep out the Wildcats.
Aaron Nell (Malasinski, Pakozdi) added his (& his teams) 2nd goal, when he batted the puck into the net, after a scrappy goalmouth scramble (7.59).
Sam Bullas (playing his 700th League games for Wildcats. The first ever player to do so) was penalised for Boarding (13.25), but like the Bison before, the penalty killers would successfully kill the penalty.
Into the final minute and that man, Aaron Nell again, completed a first period hat-trick, with a crisp finish, past Jordan Lawday. Pakozdi & Ben Nethersall assisting the goal (19.38)
That was all the action for the 1st period. Swindon totally dominated the Bison and gave themselves, a very comfy 3 goal lead, going into the first break.
Marr faced just 9 shots, whilst Lawday faced a healthy 17 shots, making a few good saves along the way, but really wasn’t helped, by what was in front of him.
The travelling Bison fans were hoping that their team, would come out with a lot more fight in the second period, but just 22 secs in… disaster…. Gaël Lubwele was called for Interference, which for me, looked very harsh indeed.
From the resulting face-off, Aaron Nell (Cowley, C Jones) notched his 4th goal of the night.. (20.32).
He had the midas touch & was taking down the Bison singlehandedly, as everything he touched, turned to goals !
It was a mad frantic minute indeed, as from this face-off, Marcel Balaz (Mitchell, Norcliffe) opened the Bison’s account, when he swooped in and around the back of the net, to score a wraparound goal (20.42). 2 Goals & a penalty, all in 20 secs !!
Balint Pakozdi netted an unassisted 5th goal for Swindon, when he slotted home from close range (22.03). From where i was sat, it looked like Lawday had the puck covered, but obviously not.
Over halfway into the game & Wildcats Lloris Taylor, was called for Tripping (31.52). Just before his penalty ended, Bison’s Zack Milton, also picked up a Tripping call (33.42), giving Wildcats a powerplay chance, but nothing came from it and Bison returned to full strength.
A couple of minutes later and the Wildcats notched their 6th goal (37.26). This actually got the biggest cheer of the night.
The reason being, because the scorer was youngster Dylan Lipsey (L Taylor, Whitfield) … now if that name seems familiar, it would be to ‘older’ Basingstoke fans, as he is the son of Daryl Lipsey, a man who helped form the Swindon Wildcats, back in 1986, where he played for the team for 9 straight seasons, before going on to coach the Wildcats, a year later, earning himself the nickname “Mr Swindon”.
They retired his #14 jersey in 1995, but this year, they un-retired it, so Dylan could wear the same number, as his Dad… Nice touch Swindon !
Daryl was in attendance too, so he must’ve been a very proud parent last night.
Neil Liddiard, returning to Swindon for the first time since leaving the Wildcats over a year ago, picked up a Boarding call (seems to have been the officials call of choice last night !) for the Bison (37.53).
Not long into the powerplay and Wildcats added their 7th goal. Ex-Bison skipper Russ Cowley, netting after good set up spade work, by Nell & Malasinski (38.19).
Into the final minute of the second period and Bison managed to find the net again. Liam Morris & Paul Petts setting up young Jack Peacock and he took his goal really well, picking up the pass from Petts, before cooly slotting the puck through the five-hole, between Rene Marr’s pads (39.35). That being his 2nd Bison goal, the other being against the MK Lightning.
That brought an end to the 2nd period and with Wildcats leading 7-2, it was pretty much one sided.
Into the final period now and Swindon would continue to lay siege on the Bison net, guarded stoutly by Jordan Lawday.
He made numerous saves, some i’m not sure of how he managed to get to them, but kept the puck out of his net, whatever it took.
Gaël Lubwele would pick up a Slashing call (55.42), but the Bison would kill the penalty successfully.
A few seconds later and Bison would get called again. This time, it was Marcel Balaz the guilty party, with him picking up a Hooking penalty (57.57).
Into the final minute of the game and a lazy line change by Swindon, caused them to pick up a Bench minor penalty, for ‘Too Many Men’ (59.34).
Bison returned to full strength and the final seconds ran down. The buzzer sounded and for me, it was a big relief, that the game was over.
The Bison losing heavily again and it really was a poor performance.
They win as a team & they lose as team, so not one player was at fault on the night, but they all, as a team, have to take some responsibility for that.
Liam Morris was named MoM for the Bison. A worthy recipient, especially as he’s been overlooked in some games, when the beers have gone to someone else, so Mo definately has some credit in the bank for that… Dylan Lipsey would be named as Wildcats MoM, probably because of his first ever senior goal and I’m sure Aaron Nell (scored 4 Goals) wouldn’t deny him that honour.
Match Stats:
Wildcats Stats : Nell 4+2, Pakozdi 1+3, Cowley 1+1, Lipsey 1+0, Malasinski 0+5, Jones 0+1, L Taylor 0+1, Whitfield 0+1.
Nets : Marr (33/2)
Bison Stats : Balaz 1+0, Peacock 1+0, Mitchell 0+1, Morris 0+1, Norcliffe 0+1, Petts 0+1.
Nets : Lawday (41/7)
PiMs : Wildcats 6 Bison 12
SoG : Wildcats 41 Bison 33
Hopefully, they can turn it around in Bristol (Sat) & Bison return to home ice action on Sunday (19h), when the Raiders IHC, led by Aaron Connolly, visit the Bison Arena (Face Off – 5.30pm).
Don’t miss out – Good seats are still available to purchase from the following link:https://iceaccount.co.uk/basingstoke-bison?Reference=Bison-Website
