Photo (C) Jo Loat
Final Score : Bees 1 Bison 6
By Nigel Simmonds
Refs : Mr Jarvie & Mr Poulton
Lino’s : Mr Lalonde & Mr Sitch-Cunningham
After Saturday evenings, hard fought overtime win, against the League leaders, the Telford Tigers, your GalxC Cooling Services sponsored Basingstoke Bison, made the very short trip to Slough, to face the Bees IHC.
The Bison were just missing top d-man Adam Jones & also promising youngster, Tom Banner.
These games are usually a feisty affair, between the two old rivals.
And tonight wouldn’t be any different..
Curtis Warburton & Alex Mettam both starting between the pipes for their team.
The puck dropped for the start of the game and it would be the Bison that would pick up an early penalty. Brendan Baird called for Hooking (1.28). From the resulting Bees powerplay, Mettam would come up big, to deny Ed Bradley, not once, but twice. Bison would kill the penalty off soon after.
A couple of minutes later and the visitors would take the lead, when Hallam Wilson & Elliott Dewey, would combine to set up Alex Sampford and he buried the puck (5.27).
Alex Roberts would double the visitors lead, when he managed to wriggle through the Bees defence and slot the puck home, unassisted (10.28).
Then a nasty incident, as James Galazzi went in leading with his elbow quite high on Paul Petts, against the boards, which left Petts bleeding from a facial injury. There was only one outcome, a 5 min Major Elbows Penalty for Galazzi (11.09). This gave the Bison a good amount of time on the powerplay and they found the net just over halfway through, when Aidan Doughty netted, with Adam Harding assisting (14.07). Unfortunately, they couldn’t find a way past Warburton again, from the remaing time. Galazzi came out of the sinbin and within a few seconds, he found himself skating back to the penalty box, this time a Charging call (16.29). Alas, Bison couldn’t make the man advantage pay off and Bees returned to full strength.
That was all the action for the first period and at the first buzzer, Bison found themselves up, with a very healthy 3 goal lead. Mettam faced 7 shots, whilst Warburton faced 14.
Into the second period and again Bison would press hard on the Bees net, with Warburton pulling off two big saves, from Doughty & Norcliffe. In quick succession. A couple of minutes later and Cain Russell would set Hallam Wilson clear, but just as he was about to shoot, he appeared to fan his shot and the chamce was gone. Up the other end, Alex Mettam made a good save, from Bees Captain Stuart Mogg.
Just over the halfway mark and Bees would hit penalty trouble. Firstly, Harvey Stead picked up a Roughing call (31.55) and soon after, Dominic Gabaj followed him into the box. Gabaj got himself free and was in on Mettam, but he was challenged from behind and was expecting a call to follow, but the ref didn’t make the call, so Gabaj showed his disgust, by slamming his stick against the boards and let his feelings known. This normally brings a call and it did …. the official tapping his hips, but Gabaj wasn’t finished and that brought another tap of the hips. So, he was awarded a minor Unsportsmanlike penalty and then that was followed up, with a 10min Misconduct penalty (32.25).
Bees killed the Stead penalty and then soon after, they killed off the Gabaj minor penalty and returned back to full strength.
Bison would’ve been disappointed that they didn’t score on the two man advantage, but soon after, Hallam Wilson scored a 4th goal for the Bison, with Baird & Petts assisting the goal (34.46).
Within a minute, Paul Petts would pick up a Roughing penalty (34.52), but the visitors would kill the penalty. Then, Alex Roberts would be called for Hooking (37.36), but as before, the Bison would see off the penalty successfully and a few seconds later, the period ended, with Bison in total control and a 4-0 lead. Warburton facing 13 shots, while Mettam only faced 11.
Into the final period and Bees would score very early… it did look like the puck came out of the zone, but Joe Baird and Ryan Webb set up Josh Martin and his shot beat Mettam up high (40.38).
But, Bison would reply with 2 quick goals of their own.. Adam Harding nettng (43.02), with George Norcliffe assisting and then Zack Milton & Ashley Tait, set up Alex Roberts and he buried the puck (47.02) to put the game out of Bees reach.
Bees made a goalie change at 49.55, with newly wed Adam Goss, replacing Warburton between the pipes.
Bison’s Brendan Baird would pick up another penalty, this time a Hooking call (50.53). But as previously in the game, Bison would kill the penalty and return to full strength.
The remaining time ran down and at the final buzzer, the Bison had followed up Saturday’s victory, with another convincing win on Sunday, giving them a much needed, but well deserved 4 pt weekend…
Bees offered very little all evening, but managed to avoid the shut out, with Martin’s strike.
Alex Roberts was selected as MoM for the Bison & Bees MoM was given to youngster Harry Harcup.
Bees : Martin 1+0, J Baird 0+1, Webb 0+1.
Nets : Warburton 35/6 (82.86%) Goss 2/2 (100%)
Bison : Roberts 2+0, Harding 1+1, Wilson 1+1, Doughty 1+0, Sampford 1+0, B Baird 0+1, Dewey 0+1, Millton 0+1, Norcliffe 0+1, Petts 0+1, Tait 0+1.
Nets : Mettam 29/1 (96.55%)
Shots on Goal : Bees 29 Bison 37
Penalties (PiMs) : Bees 21 Bison 8
