Image (C) Jo Loat
FINAL SCORE : PITBULLS 3 BISON 4 (OT) (1-3, 2-0, 0-0, 0-1)
By Nigel Simmonds
Refs : Mr Matthews & Mr Poulton
Lino’s : Mr MacPhee & Mr Sore
After Friday evenings, very disappointing loss in Swindon, your GalxC Cooling Services sponsored Basingstoke Bison, made another trip along the M4. This time, it was further along past Swindon… to Bristol, to take on the Pitbulls, in a must win game for the Bison, if they wanted to secure one of the last two available play-off spots.
Missing the game for the Bison, were the same as the previous evening. Carl Graham, Edgars Landsbergs, Roman Cathcart, Oli Hemmings-Maher, Josh Kelly & Aidan Doughty.
Will Kerlin & Alex Mettam both getting the start for their respective teams, between the pipes.
The Bison, needing a much better start than the night before, almost went behind early again, when Max Birbraer tested Mettam with a wrist shot, but he saved it easily.
A couple of minutes into the game and it would be the Bison that drew first blood, when super sniper Gaël Lubwele (Balaz) opened the scoring, as his quick shot beat Kerlin, underneath his glove (3.07).
Soon after and the good number of travelling Bison fans, would be treated to another goal, when Zack Milton (Mitchell, Lubwele) got a good tip on a shot from the blue line (5.21), making it a great start for the visitors.
Bristol would come right back and open their own account, when Bison coughed the puck to Caly Robertson. He skated in and his shot was saved by Mettam, but the puck fell kindly to Nic Coric, who made sure and slapped it in, at the back door (6.48). Bayley Harewood, also assisting on the goal.
The Pitbulls would be awarded the first powerplay of the night, when Jay King caught Nic Coric with a slash, as he skated in on net (8.55).
Although Bristol tried, the Bison would kill the penalty successfully
Liam Morris (Wilson, Mitchell), would give the Bison fans even more to cheer & celebrate, when he skated down the left wing, cut inside and got away a good shot, which took a favourable deflection off a Pitbulls players stick and sailed past Kerlin (11.17).
It read somewhat differently on the Pitbulls Twitter page, due to an unfortunate spelling error, which believe me, led to a lot of amusement on social media, I can tell you !
That was all the action for the 1st period and at the break, Bison went in with a deserved 3-1 lead.
SoG were, 9 on Kerlin & 11 on Mettam.
With both teams back out for the start of the 2nd period, the puck dropped and Bristol would come out with much more of a purpose. Just over a minute in and Jay Warren picked up the puck and skated behind the Bison net. He craftily backhanded a pass out in front of the net and there was Mason Lipsey, to snipe the puck past Mettam (21.13). Morgan Clarke-Pizzo also assisting the goal.
Within seconds, Bristol were back on the PP, as Neil Liddiard was called for Hooking (21.35), giving the Pitbulls a great chance with the man advantage. Once again though, the Bison PK units did a sterling job and killed the penalty really well.
As soon as Liddiard returned to the ice, the Bison had a great chance to extend their lead, but Kerlin made a solid stop, denying the shooter.
Bristol were really piling on the pressure and it wasn’t long, before their efforts paid off for them.
Sean Morris threw a big hit and gained possession of the puck. His pass found Elliot Lewis and his quick snap shot was almost gloved by Mettam, but it spilt out and was just laying there, before Josh Shaw bundled the puck over the line, tying the scoreline (24.38).
Bison’s Neil Liddiard would pick up a penalty, once again for Hooking (28.05), but another successful penalty kill, was achieved by the visitors.
Just over halfway into the game and it would be the Pitbulls, that picked up a penalty. Sean Morris being given an Interference penalty (30.45).
From the resulting powerplay, Marcel Balaz would draw a penalty, as he found a good lane through the middle, which caused Max Birbraer to pick a Hooking call (31.59), giving the Bison, a small amount of time of 5-on-3 hockey
Sadly, they couldn’t take advantage and Bristol quickly returned to 4 skaters, as the Morris penalty expired and they went on to kill the remaining time on the second penalty too.
At 35.39 on the clock, Neil Liddiard was once again penalised … yep, you guessed it… for Hooking !!
It seemed to be the officials ‘go to penalty’ on the night.
A minute into the penalty, Gaël Lubwele caught Pitbulls Ed Bradley with an accidental High-Stick and the Bison player was escorted off to the sinbin (36.55). Bradley did receive some attention from the medical staff, but he was soon back on his feet and skated back to the bench unassisted.
This gave Bristol, the two man advantage this time, but the Bison penalty killers did a fantastic job of clearing the zone, at every opportunity & they killed the Liddiard penalty well. Just before Lubwele’s penalty expired though, Marcel Balaz (the leagues leading short-handed scorer), had a great chance to add another shortie. But sadly, he just failed to beat Kerlin at close range.
Into the final minute of the period and Pitbulls Ben Solder, would pick up a Hooking call (Shock, Horror !), timed at 39.10.
The buzzer sounded for the end of the 2nd period and it was pretty much Bristol in the ascendancy, although the SoG wouldn’t really back that up, with Kerlin only facing 8 shots & Mettam just 7 shots.
Bison started the 3rd period on the powerplay, but Bristol would soon, successfully kill the penalty.
Bison would turn up the heat on the Pitbulls net, but Kerlin pulled off a string of great saves, in really quick succession, to keep the visitors at bay.
Both teams were looking for the go ahead goal and it was tense end to end hockey, which was good to see. It’s what the fans want to see & creates a great atmosphere.
Gaël Lubwele almost snuck one in, but his backhand chance, at close range, was once again thwarted, by the big frame, of the Pitbulls nettie.
Kerlin was once again called upon, when a shot from the blueline, took a deflection of Birbraer’s stick and was heading goalbound, but the netties quick reactions, certainly denied a goal. Reece Kelly & Hallam Wilson would have words afterwards, but nothing came of it & no calls were forthcoming.
Into the final 5 mins of the period now and a poor line change, left the Bison with 6 skaters on the ice, which somehow went unnoticed for about 10secs, before the officials finally realised. That handing the Bison a Bench minor penalty for ‘Too Many Men’ (55.56).
With Bristol really pushing for the go ahead goal now, they turned over the puck & Marcel Balaz was away up ice. He skated in and got a good shot away, but the puck nestled deep into Kerlin’s chest pad.
The Bison PK unit once again came up with huge kill of the penalty and returned to full strength, with only a couple of minutes to go. Let’s just say, it was really tense.
Another couple of penalties were handed out, when there was a huge goalmouth scramble for the puck in front of Kerlin’s net, before he managed to freeze the puck.
This resulted in quite a bit of afters and from that, both Elliot Lewis & Zack Milton, picked up coincidental Roughing minor penalties (58.51).
The Pitbulls almost clinched victory very late on, but Nic Coric wasted a golden opportunity, when he found himself all alone, but wasted the chance and the buzzer finally sounded, to take this game into a period of sudden death Overtime.
Both teams started with 3 players, which would increase to 4 players, if the penalties expired, before a goal was scored.
Bison skipper, George Norcliffe had the first chance of OT, but he fired his shot just over the bar and it hit the plexi behind the net.
The penalties ended and it was now 4-on-4 hockey. Morgan Clarke-Pizzo, almost beat Mettam with a hard shot, but the Bison nettie kept out the chance.
Then at 63.11, Gaël Lubwele (Liddiard) would finally end the game, with a goal that broke Pitbulls players/fans hearts.
It was a hard fought earned victory and it was muchly needed, after Friday evening and also of course, because Bristol & the Bison are both competing for the final couple of play-off berths.
Ed Bradley picked up the beers for the home side, whilst game winner Gaël Lubwele, was selected for the victorious visitors.
Match Stas:
Pitbulls Stats : Coric 1+0, Lipsey 1+0, Shaw 1+0, Harewood 0+1, Lewis 0+1, S Morris 0+1, Pizzo-Clarke 0+1, Robertson 0+1, Warren 0+1.
Nets : Kerlin (29/4)
Bison Stats : Lubwele 2+1, Milton 1+0, L Morris 1+0, Mitchell 0+2, Balaz 0+1, Liddiard 0+1, Wilson 0+1.
Nets : Mettam (33/3)
PiMs : Pitbulls 8 Bison 12
SoG : Pitbulls 33 Bison 29
Bison return to home ice action next Saturday (25th), when the newly crowned League Champions, the Leeds Knights, visit the Bison Arena (Face Off – 6.30pm).
Don’t miss out – Good seats are still available to purchase from the following link: https://iceaccount.co.uk/basingstoke-bison?Reference=Bison-Website
