Photo (C) Jo Loat
Final Score : Wildcats 5 Bison 3
By Nigel Simmonds
Refs : Mr Brooks & Mr Jarvie
Lino’s : Mrs Prior & Mr Sore
Without a home fixture this weekend, your GalxC Cooling Services sponsored Basingstoke Bison, will be on the road twice instead.
Firstly, on Friday evening, they travelled to Wiltshire, to take on the Swindon Wildcats & then on Sunday, they will make the long trip up to Yorkshire, hopefully for the last time this season (If we can avoid them in the Play-Offs). I will bring you the match report of that game, early next week…. but first up is Swindon..
Bison missing Thomas Banner & Aidan Doughty, but were boosted by the returns of influential players, George Norcliffe & Liam Morris…. who were both badly missed in the Steeldogs defeat last weekend ..
Alex Mettam would get the nod for the Bison & ex-Bison Dean Skinns, would start for Wildcats.
It was quite a tense start from both teams and there weren’t that many opportunities created.. Mettam pulled off a good save to deny Nell early on.
Swindon would take the lead, when a speculative shot by Godfrey from the point, eluded everyone in front of net and beat Mettam. Taylor & Svec assisting the goal, timed at 9.06.
This appeared to kick the Bison into action and a minute later they were level. George Norcliffe pouncing on a loose puck and he skated in alone to beat Skinns, with a top shelf finish (10.49), unassisted.
There were a few challenges that could’ve been penalties, but it seemed pretty obvious, that the officials didn’t want to call much.
Mettam was the busier goalie after this and again he made good saves to deny Wildcats. Then later in the period, Swindon scored, when Aaron Nell finished off a move involving Svec & Pakozdi (18.23), giving the hosts the lead again.
That was how the period finished and it was 2-1 to Wildcats, at the the first interval. Swindon outshooting the Bison comprehensively 16-5 !!
The second period started very much like the first, with a few opportunities created. Both teams going deep into the opponents zone, but the final pass wasn’t forthcoming or it just eluded the players stick. It was pretty much the same from the officials too. chances of penalties arose, but both refs decided not to call anything… I do appreciate that the refs like to try and let the game flow, but if an obvious penalty occurs, then they should call it.
A little later, Bison did create a good chance and it would be Hallam Wilson that made the most of it, as he netted, much to the delight of the travelling Bison fans (especially ‘Coach’ Tom… his biggest fan !).
Hallam picked up the puck by the left circle and he made enough room to get a good shot off and it beat Skinns over his left shoulder. Goal timed at 35.47. His 2nd goal in last 2 games…
A minute later and the first penalty was called.. Reed Sayers being called for Tripping (36.12), but Wildcats would kill the penalty successfully. Then as Swindon returned to full strength, Bison would get a penalty.. Alex Sampford picking up a Hooking call (38.18).
This gave Wildcats a good chance on the powerplay and they didn’t disappoint their fans. Chris Jones set up Svec, whose bullet shot was well saved by Mettam, but the puck popped free and Pakozdi was on hand to slot home with ease (39.42). The buzzer sounded and Swindon led 3-2 at the second break.
Then, as both teams skated off, there was a coming together by the player exits and a scuffle broke out, with pretty much every player involved… the resulting penalties were as follows…. Bullas & Mettam both receiving Unsportsmanlike minor penalties, whilst Pakozdi, Balmer & King and Jones all picking up 5 Min Fighting major penalties.
All the penalties were Co-incidentals, so both teams would start the 3rd period with 5 skaters each.
Into the final period and again it was quite uneventful for the first half of the period. Both teams created a couple of scoring chances, but either the chance was well saved or the shots were high, wide and handsome…
The Bison were definitely still in this game and usually these games, are good hard fought, end to end hockey, This game certainly did have it’s moments.
A turnover at the Swindon blueline and Taylor was away up ice all alone….. but, somehow Ollie Stone made up the gap and with a last gasp poke check, he denied a chance, that could’ve easily ended in a goal. That for me, was worthy of MoM alone..
Then, Ashley Tait gave the Bison fans something to really shout about, when he picked up the puck from Hallam Wilson and skated into the Swindon zone and let rip with a shot that beat Skinns, over his right pad, to level the game again (52.58).
It was well deserved as Bison had continued to improve throughout the game. It was now a matter of, could we maintain the pressure and possibly pick up something…..
Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to be our night. Within a minute of all the hard work that the Bison had put in to get level, it was taken away, by what I can only describe as a lucky freaky goal, that led to, what would prove to be the game winner (53.39).
Tomas Malasinski setting up Nell, whose shot took a massive deflection, which looped over Alex Mettam (almost in slow motion), who had made a last grasp for the puck, but he missed it and the puck slid agonisingly over the line, beating Liam Morris, who had ended up in the net, as he had tried to stop the puck entering the net too. It really was a hard one to take, especially as the Bison had fought so hard to get level. But as that old saying says, you’re at your most vulnerable, when you’ve just scored… and so it proved correct.
Into the final 2 minutes of the game and it was now a question of, when or if, would Bison risk pulling the goalie for the extra attacker. That was answered with about 1.15 to go. With the Bison in the Swindon zone, Mettsy was pulled and the Bison set about trying to get the equaliser.
But sadly, a breakdown in the Bison attack gave Emil Svec, the chance to fire into the empty net and he made no mistake (59.49).
That was that. The clock ran down and Swindon ran out deserved winners, although it was a good hard fought display from the visitors.
Chris Jones & Ollie Stone picking up the beers for their respective teams.
I’m glad that Ollie was picked, as he rarely gets the recognition he deserves… week in week out, he’s so solid at the back.. Congrats Ollie !!
Match Stats:
Wildcats : Nell 2+0, Svec 1+3, Pakozdi 1+1, Godfrey 1+1, Jones 0+1, Malasinski 0+1, Taylor 0+1.
Nets : Marr 24/3 (87.50%)
Bison : Wilson 1+1, Norcliffe 1+0, Tait 1+0,.
Nets : Mettam 34/4 (88.24%) Empty Net 1/1
Shots on Goal : Wildcats 34 Bison 24
Penalties (PiMs) : Wildcats 14 Bison 14
So, a rare night off on Saturday and then we go again on Sunday, with a long old trek up to Leeds, to take on the Knights. Hopefully, we’ll come away with the victory, like we did only a couple of weeks ago… fingers crossed !!
