Final Score : Tigers 5 Bison 4
By Nigel Simmonds
Sunday 13th March 2022
Refs : Mr Hands & Mr Matthews
Lino’s : Miss Sanders & Mrs Stanley
After Saturday evenings disappointing loss, to title chasing Telford Tigers, your GalxC Cooling Services sponsored Basingstoke Bison, made the trip up to Shropshire, to face the Tigers again, in part deux of a double header weekend.
The Bison were still missing top D-man Adam Jones, but they were bolstered by George Norcliffe & Jay King, who had returned to the line-up, the previous evening.
Tigers are looking to secure back to back League titles and with a few games remaining, they already have one hand on the trophy.
Brad Day & Alex Mettam would get the nod, for starting between the pipes for their respective teams.
From the drop of the puck it was all Telford, as they crashed and banged their way into the Bison zone and Alex Mettam was called upon a couple of times, to make some crucial saves.
Tigers relentless pressure finally paid off at 6.39, when Corey Goodison found, British ice hockey stalwart Jonathon Weaver, on the point and his pinpoint wrist shot was very lightly tipped in, by Jason Silverthorn, that just beat Mettam over his glove hand.
Bison were finding it very difficult, either to clear their zone, or literally just finding each other’s sticks, with passes go badly awry.
This continued for quite a big part of the period. Tigers however are a fast, slick, well oiled machine and they were constantly creating chances, but thankfully, Mettam was doing well and denied the Tigers attacks.
Bison were called for a penalty, when Alex Sampford was given a Hooking call (16.23), which put Telford on the PP.
Bison’s plight wasn’t helped a minute later, when Coach Tait, also picked up a Hooking call (17.38), giving the Tigers a fair amount of a 5-on-3 powerplay time.
(C) Jo Loat
Bison managed to get back to 4 skaters, but just after, Tigers doubled their lead (18.24). The impressive Austin Mitchell-King netting a rebound, after a great save by Mettam, but he just couldn’t cover the puck in time. Weaver & Rick Plant, assisting on the powerplay goal.
Into the final minute now and Bison thought they scored…. Adam Harding finding George Norcliffe and George wristed the puck past Brad Day, or so he thought… George raised his arms in celebration, but no light came on and as play stopped, the Bison forward plead his case towards the officials, who had a little get together, but none if them appeared to see the puck enter the net and the “goal” was washed out.. sadly..
The clock ran down and at the first interval, the Tigers went in with a deserved 2-0 lead…. if it hadn’t been for Mettsy, it could’ve been a damn sight worse & the resulting SoG count backed this up vehemently….. Mettam faced a mahoosive 21 shots and Bison could only muster, a very poor, 3 shots on Brad Day !!
The teams came out for the 2nd period and I can only imagine the Bison players, still had Coach Tait’s words ringing in their ears…. eek !
Unfortunately, we didn’t make a great start to the period and found ourselves 3-0 down quickly, when Rick Plant scored (21.38) after good work from Tigers import Vladimir Luka & Sam Watkins.
Bison were really finding it difficult to break down the Tigers defence. But, they were thrown a lifeline, when Telford’s Bayley Harewood picked up a Tripping call (27.36).
The Bison top PP line came out and set about trying to get on the board. Bison moved the puck around well and then they finally lit the lamp… Zack Milton & Ashley Tait, creating space for Alex Roberts, to laser the puck past Day (28.47). The goal was announced as Milton’s goal, but I honestly didn’t see Zack get a touch before the puck went in….
I guess you could get mixed up between #24 & #94, but when one’s a big Right Hand shot & the other’s a Left Hand shot, I do despair with some officials just recently…
Anyhow, the Bison were finally in the game and hopefully they could improve the scoreline in their favour. However, a minute later and a missed call by the official, was enough to receive a comment from the Bison bench, which didn’t go unpunished. Zack Milton picking a 2 min ‘Abuse of Official’ call (29.48).
However, the Tigers man advantage didn’t last long, as promising youngster Jack Hopkins, went in late on Liam Morris, very close to the boards and although a Tripping call was given (30.06), It really looked like a Slew Foot penalty to me… but Mr Matthews obviously thought otherwise.
A little bit of 4-on-4 hockey followed and just as it looked like Bison might take advantage, Telford went up the other end and scored again… Andy McKinney netting (30.52), with Mitchell-King & Goodison assisting. This gave Tigers a strong 4-1 lead.
Bison managed to kill of their penalty and just before Tigers penalty expired, that man Alex Roberts, rifled home another goal (32.03) with Milton & Liam Morris picking up assists. Then from the face off, Tigers turned over the puck by our blue line and Coach Tait was off up ice all alone. He skated inside the Tigers zone and unleashed the most ferocious shot, which was past Day, before he could blink.. what a absolute laser !!
An unassisted goal, timed at 32.29.
The scoreline back to 4-3 now and Bison were certainly back in it.
However, that old saying of “You’re at your most vulnerable, when you’ve just scored” reared it’s ugly head and Tigers regained their 2 goal lead. Harewood scoring, unassisted (32.53).
Then a nasty moment in the game. Deakan Fielder, brutally crushed Hallam Wilson against the boards. Thankfully, Hallam was able to make it back to the bench unaided and luckily, it wasn’t as serious as first thought, as he returned to the action a couple of shifts later. Fielder was given a 5 min major for Boarding (35.05). Personally, I thought this penalty also carried a Game penalty with it…. but it appears the rules have changed.
So, now Bison had a good 5 minute powerplay and it wasn’t long before they made it count. Roberts completing his hat-trick (from what I saw !) with another laser guided slapshot (35.59). This bought the score back to a one goal game.
Telford managed to see off the rest of the period and at the buzzer, the score was 5-4 in Tigers favour.
SoG were alot closer this period, with Day facing 12 shots & Mettam only facing 11 shots this time
Telford started the period, still with 6 secs to kill, from Fielder’s major penalty. That came and went & they were back to full strength quickly.
Then, it became a period of cat and mouse… with both teams creating scoring chances, but both netties stopped everything thrown at them.
Into the second half of the period and it would be the Bison that picked up another penalty.. Elliott Dewey getting called for Tripping (54.32) and that was soon followed, when Jay King caught Mitchell-King high with his stick and Jay was given a 2 + 2 High-Sticks call (55.23), which gave Telford 1.10 of a two man advantage.. but solid defence from the Bison, saw them kill both penalties successfully. Into the final 2 mins now and Bison almost tied the game up. George Norcliffe & Adam Harding skated up ice on a 2-on-1, Norcliffe’s pass found Harding, but Adam saw his shot, well saved by Day… that was our big chance…
Now it was going to be a case of if/when Bison, would get a chance to use their Time Out, but the Tigers managed to keep hold of the puck, for as long as they could. Finally, Bison did manage to regain possession of the puck and at the next whistle, they called the Time Out…. unfortunately, the face off was on our zone and there was only 15secs left in the clock… so, it would take a monumental feat to win the face off, get Mettsy off, get an extra guy on and go up the other end an score…
We did win the draw… Mettsy did somehow manage to get to the bench, although he left himself dangling over the boards, but the clock ran down and Tigers had gained a deserved 4 pt weekend.
I did think we did deserve a point for that performance, but we deffo didn’t deserve anything from Saturday nights display.
This means they only need 2 wins (possibly, maybe only one, depending on results in other games) and they will be crowned League Champions !
Worthy winners in my eyes…
Tigers : Mitchell-King 1+1, Plant 1+1, Harewood 1+0, McKinney 1+0, Silverthorn 1+0, Goodison 0+2, Weaver 0+2, Luka 0+1, S Watkins 0+1.
Nets : Day 25/4 (84.00%)
Bison : Roberts 3+0, Tait 1+2, Milton 0+2, Doughty 0+1, Morris 0+1.
Nets : Mettam 49/5 (89.80%)
Shots on Goal : Tigers 49 Bison 25
Penalties (PiMs) : Tigers 9 Bison 12
Man Of Match : Alex Roberts for the Bison & Thomas McKinnon for the Tigers.
