Photo (c) Jo Loat
Final Score : Knights 3 Bison 2
By Nigel Simmonds
Refs : Mr Good & Mr Hands Lino’s : Miss Andrews & Mr Fielden
After the previous evenings game, against the same opponents, after which I felt we dropped 2 points, in a close encounter, ending 4-3 to the visitors.
Your GalxC Cooling Services sponsored Basingstoke Bison, made the long trip up to Leeds, to face the Knights, for only our second ever visit, to their new Planet Ice Rink. It’s a very nice facility and I’m pretty sure most Bison fans would agree, that we’d love to see in Basingstoke, to replace our old ‘Shed of Dreams’… lol…
So, with the pairing of Messers Good & Hands as refs tonight, you’d think, Oh that’s OK then, we’ll be in ‘Good Hands’…… oh, the irony !!
Unfortunately, after some inconsistent decisions during the game, they left us at the end, thinking otherwise…!!
After a short delay to the start of the game, to allow all the queuing Knights fans outside to get in, which may have been due to the Knights Inaugural “Air the Bear” night. It was announced as a new record attendance for the Knights, of 1349 fans !!
From the drop of the puck, it would prove to be fast & furious, hard hitting, end to end hockey…
Knights Bobby Streetley was awarded the first penalty, as he was called for Boarding (0.56)…
The Bison powerplay unit came out and tested Sam Gospel, but he was equal to everything thrown at him and Leeds would kill off the penalty successfully.
Both netminders were being kept busy, with each team creating good scoring chances…. Leeds would take the lead, when their top line of Brandon Whistle, Cole Shudra & Kieran Brown combined…. Brown released Whistle up ice and with a deft little pass, he set up Shudra, who slapped home the puck past Lawday (8.32) … this set off all the teddy bears to be launched onto the ice.
There must’ve been a good couple of hundred soft toys amassed (Edit : 397 Teddies recorded). So, Many Congratulations to the Knights on such a successful first Teddy Toss and those toys will find their way to very deserving children, at worthy local charities.
Back to the game and Bison were pushing hard for an equaliser, but Gospel was just stopping every attack. At the other end, Lawday was just as busy and he also made good saves to keep the game to a single goal.
The period seemed to fly by and the buzzer sounded to end the period.
Shots on Goal were announced as, 12 on Bison & 13 on Knights.
Into the second period and it was pretty much the same as the first. Both teams with great intensity and the flow of the game was so quick…
Bison would again get an early chance to go on the powerplay, when Knights player Lewis Baldwin, flipped the puck over the glass, trying to clear the zone, so he picked up a Delay of Game penalty (22.30)… but like before, Bison were peppering the Leeds goal with every opportunity., but Gospel was proving so difficult to beat. They again successfully kill the penalty and returned to full strength.
Bison’s constant pressure was mounting and finally they got their reward… Aidan Doughty’s pass found George Norcliffe and he managed to get a quick shot off. It was saved by Gospel, but the rebound came back out to Norcliffe and he batted the puck past Gospel to get the Bison on the board (27.08).
Another penalty for Knights. This time it was Jordan Griffin who was given a Hooking penalty (34.33), but as soon as Bison went on the powerplay, they picked up a penalty themselves (34.43). Doughty with the Slashing call. So, it was 4-on-4 for a good period of the time… and both teams used the extra space on the ice. Knights had a brilliant chance to take the lead, when Brown was sent in all alone on goal. He got a quick snap shot off, but Lawday came up with a massive blocker save to deny the chance.
Both teams returned to full strength and it would be the Knights again that found themselves in on goal with only the goalie to beat, but again Lawday came up big on the play and denied the scoring opportunity.
The final minute of the period was announced and like the first period, where the speed of the game was so quick, the time just flew by.
The period ended and both teams returned to their rooms. Shots on Goal were announced as… just 8 shots on Lawday, whereas Gospel faced a whopping 19 shots… just showing how much Bison were piling on the pressure on Gospel and the Leeds net.
As a fan, you like to see these type of games…. two good teams, fast skating, good intensity, end to end hockey and two in form netminders putting on a show….
The puck dropped for the 3rd period and it would be more of the same, but it would be which team could find a breakthrough and grab a lead… Knights got a chance, when Adam Harding was given a Slashing call (43.02), although Adam didn’t seem that impressed with the call, as he was skated to the box. Bison’s penalty killers came out and again Lawday was once again called upon, to make some crucial saves to keep out the potent Knights offence. Bison returned to full strength soon afterwards..
Into the last 10 minutes and it was so close between the teams. Line changes were getting slight quicker, with neither team wanting to slip up and give the other team an opportunity. Leeds playing their 3rd game in 3 nights, weren’t really showing any tiredness… in fact, they seemed to be getting stronger as the game went on, making it even harder for the Bison players to match..
Finally, there was a breakthrough and it wouldn’t be without a bottle controversy…. the puck found it’s way into the far corner of the rink and it appeared that one of the refs, momentarily got in the way of the Bison player, stoppingvhim from clearing the puck, but it allowed Knights Lewis Baldwin to get the puck to Kieron Brown and he stepped in from the side and got an unstoppable shot off, that beat Lawday to give Knights the lead (53.17)… the Bison did ask the question of why the goal was being allowed, but both officials just shrugged their shoulders and pointed to centre spot and ushered the Bison players to continue with the face off to restart the game.
This was probably still playing on their minds as Leeds scored again quickly after (54.08) … this time Brandon Whistle tapping in, after a little delay in the Bison defence getting the puck away. Shudra & Brown assisting again on the goal.
This prompted the Bison to use their 30 sec Time Out, mainly to get back to the game plan, but also I’d imagine, to try and break the Knights momentum that they had.
Into the final 5 minutes now and another good attack by the Bison.
Speedster Liam Morris managing to get around the Knights d-man and get his shot off, which Gospel manage to smother at the second attempt. Archie Hazeldene and Liam Morris exchanged a couple of shots at each other in front of net and both were given minor Cross-Checking penalties (56.03).
These were both killed successfully.
Into the final 2 mins and it was now all or nothing for Bison, if they wanted to get anything from this game. They got a great chance, when Knights Matty Davies, was given a Cross-Checking penalty (58.31). With the face off in the Knights zone, Bison threw caution to the wind, as they withdrew Lawday in favour of the extra skater.
Ashley Tait picked up the puck and sent in Alex Roberts, who sniped the puck top shelf past Gospel (59.16) to set up a grandstand finish.
The puck was dropped and as Bison gained possession, Lawday was quickly called back to the bench again, thus throwing everything we could at the Knights goal. Norcliffe went close, as his shot just went wide of the post and then Roberts shot went close, but it hit a leg of a Knights player, sending it into the corner. The final few seconds ran down and Knights would hold on to record a 4 point return from the double header against the Bison this weekend.
Man of the Match :
Knights : Sam Gospel
Bison : Jordan Lawday
Knights : Brown 1+2, Shudra 1+1, Whistle 1+1, Baldwin 0+1.
Nets : Gospel 41/2 (95.12%)
Bison : Norcliffe 1+0, Roberts 1+0, Doughty 0+1, Harding 0+1, Tait 0+1.
Nets : Lawday 35/3 (91.43%)
Shots on Goal : Knights 41 Bison 35
Penalties (PiMs) : Knights 10 Bison 6
I have to say, it’s probably the best hockey I’ve seen us play this season and to come away with nothing to show for it, points wise, it’s very gutting, especially for the team … they so deserved something from this match.
But, if we can continue to perform like this week in, week out, then I have no doubt that we will climb the table again.
I’d just like to take this opportunity to quickly wish everyone connected to the Bison Organization. John (Neville), Ash, Tony, the players, the backroom staff and of course, not forgetting the best fans in the League… the Bison fans.. a very Happy Christmas… enjoy the holidays, but please be safe and take care of yourself…. Hopefully, see you on Boxing Day in Swindon !!
