FINAL SCORE : Wildcats 2 Bison 4
By Nigel Simmonds
Refs : Mr Bicknell & Mr Wells
Lino’s : Mr Cook & Mr Sore
After Saturday evenings, absolutely heartbreaking, last gasp defeat, that finally ended our play-off push to Coventry, your GalxC Cooling Services sponsored Basingstoke Bison, travelled to Wiltshire, to face the Swindon Wildcats again, with the hope of at least finishing the season, with a victory.
The game, which would see Wildcats Neil Liddiard, play his final time, before his retirement.
Liddiard, a veteran of British Ice Hockey, accumulating over 1450 professional games, over 19 seasons (3 with the Bison) scoring over 100 goals & more than 400 assists & not forgetting, more than 2800 PiM’s. He also played 42 games for Team GB, at various levels, so you could say, he’s been there, seen it and done it all. Wishing you a very Happy Retirement Lidds !!
Sorry, back to the game. The Bison, once again missing Adam Jones, Adam Harding, Ollie Stone & they were joined by Aidan Doughty, on the sidelines.
Jordan Lawday would get the nod for the Bison, whilst our old “Frenemy” Dean Skinns, who had 24hrs earlier, broken all Bison hearts, with some outstanding saves, started for the Wildcats again.
With the game, sort of meaningless for both teams, you didn’t really know how this would play out.
But, Swindon came out strong from the off and forced Lawday into a couple of early saves, one where he stonewalled Balint Pakozdi, at point blank range.
Bison picked up the first (of only 3 in the game) penalty, when Birthday boy, Hallam Wilson was given a Hooking call (8.41). However, the Bison would successfully kill the penalty and return to full strength.
Lawday faced a few more shots, whereas up the other end, Dean Skinns wasn’t really tested that much. The period ended, with both teams goalless & the SoG reading, 12 on Lawday & a lowly 5 on Skinns.
Bison came out stronger in the 2nd period and Skinns saw alot more rubber early doors. The Bison kept pushing and at last, their constant pressure finally paid off. Paul Petts, waiting til the last game, to finally score his first of the season (27.35), with Hallam Wilson & young Tom Banner, getting the assists.
It was a muchly deserved goal for Pettsy, for all the constant chasing & hard work, he’s put in this season.
Soon after, Tom Banner almost opened his scoring account too, but his shot agonisingly came back off the post and went to safety. His Dad looking on, gave a wry smile, at his sons effort.
Bison doubled their lead a few minutes later, when on form hot-shot Alex Roberts, scored on the backhand (unassisted), after a goalmouth scramble, which saw his first shot, well saved by Skinns.
This goal (31.42), sent the good amount of travelling Bison fans into raptures of shouting & screaming, in celebration.
The Bison, who deserved their lead and would hold onto it, for a few more minutes, before Wildcats finally got on the board, with a goal from Emil Svec (38.30), with a Scott Plews assist. But he really didn’t know alot about it. A shot had come in from the point, forcing Lawday into a good save, but unluckily, the puck ricocheted off Svec, back towards the goal line and he just managed to tap it in, before Jordan could reach back, to stop it entering the net.
That would be all the action for the period & at the 2nd interval, Bison went in leading 2-1, with the shot count reading, 13 on Lawday & a much better 16 shots on Skinns.
Then came the realisation, that this would sadly be the final period of both teams seasons, ending a gruelling, hard fought 7 months of ice hockey.
It would be Swindon that started the better, putting good pressure on the Bison net. Thankfully, Lawday was up to the challenge and used various ways of keeping the puck out.. a glove save, a blocker save, a pad save and he even used his head, as a puck pinged off his helmet !
On the 44th minute mark (his jersey number), both sets of fans, all stood and started to applaud, showing their appreciation towards Neil Liddiard. At a break in play, within the minutes applause, both team benches & officials also joined in, in acknowledgement to honour his years of dedication to the sport and ultimately, what he’s achieved over the years, in his long & illustrious career. It was a really nice touch.
Back to the hockey again. Bison’s Brendan Baird, would get called for Cross-Checking (48.25), but once again, the penalty was killed successfully.
Going into the final 10 mins of the game and both teams had a couple of chances. Swindon were starting to ramp up the pressure again, with Lawday keeping them out as best he could. But then, a well worked play by Swindon, finally led to an equalizing goal for the Wildcats (55.48).
Thomasz Malasinski played a pass to Balint Pakozdi and his neat backhand pass, came across ice, to a waiting, unmarked Aaron Nell and he fired the puck home, from close range. Sadly, Jordan had no chance of getting to that.
A couple of minutes later, Swindon’s Floyd Taylor, reacted to a hit and retaliated, which resulted in him picking up a Slashing call (57.37)
Out came the Bison PP unit, which has been pretty successful in these play-offs. Zack Milton & Liam Morris combined to set up Ashley Tait and he let go of a rip snorter, which flew past Skinns and found the twine, oh so fine ! (57.54)
This really got the travelling Bison fans on their feet, cheering loud & proud. But, we weren’t finished yet…
Into the last 2 mins and with a face off in the Bison zone, Swindon went all out, to get another equaliser. Coach Nell made the decision to pull Dean Skinns, in favour of another forward. Surprisingly, no Time Out ‘s were used by either team.
Swindon won the draw, but as the puck came to one of their d-men, Tait managed to charge down the shot and get past him, giving Ash enough time, to get a good shot off and send the puck up the ice and into the waiting empty cage (58.28), sealing it for the Bison.
That goal sent the Bison fans delirious with, singing, cheering and chanting of their beloved teams name.
The final seconds ran down and at the final buzzer, Bison had pulled off, another impressive road victory, which saw them finish above Swindon, in the final standings.
As it was #44’s night, unsurprisingly, Neil Liddiard was named as Wildcats MoM, whilst Thomas Banner (also #44) picked up the beers for the Bison.
I also witnessed a couple of things afterwards, that made me think, that Lidds maybe not the only one, bringing a long & impressive hockey career to an end….. but that’s only speculation, on my part…
Match Stats:
Wildcats : Nell 1+0, Svec 1+0, Malasinski 0+1, Pakozdi 0+1, Plews 0+1.
Nets : Skinns 28/3 (89.29%) Empty Net 1/1
Bison : Tait 2+0, Petts 1+0, Roberts 1+0, Banner 0+1, Milton 0+1, Morris 0+1, Wilson 0+1.
Nets : Lawday 41/2 (95.12%)
Shots on Goal : Wildcats 41 Bison 29
Penalties (PiMs) : Wildcats 2 Bison 4
Man Of Match :
Wildcats : Neil Liddiard
Bison : Thomas Banner
