The 2nd weekend of pre-season challenge matches will see your GalxC Cooling Services Basingstoke Bison play a double-header against the league’s new boys Bristol Pitbulls.
First up is a home game on Saturday evening, face off at the Silverdome Arena is 6.30pm, Sunday’s return game at the Venue Leisure Park rink in Bristol will face off at 5.30pm.
After almost a decade of playing out of the home of the Oxford City Stars following the closure of the Frogmore Street rink in 2012, the Pitbulls returned home in October 2021 to a brand new rink.
Finally back in Bristol and attracting excellent crowds, they made the decision to move up from NIHL South 1 and join the Planet Ice NIHL National League for the 2022/23 season.
Coached by Great Britain U16 Coach, Jamie Elson and captained by Steve Osman, the Pitbulls have built a roster with a good mix of youth and experience, seventeen of their players are aged 21 or under.
Although the likes of Caly Robertson, Will Kerlin and Ben Solder are part of that youthful group, all 3 have Elite League experience, in fact both Kerlin and Solder are currently on 2-Way contracts with Cardiff Devils and Manchester Storm respectively.
The likes of ex-Bison players Tommy Ralph and Adam Harding fall into the experienced category, along with the skipper Steve Osman and newly arrived Canadian import Owen Sobchak.
One to watch:
20 year old forward Mason Lipsey who wears the No 91 shirt is a product of the Swindon junior programme, he broke into senior hockey with the Swindon Wildcats NIHL 2 team during the 2018/19 season, making 10 appearances, scoring 16 points (9+7), Lipsey followed this up with an impressive 2nd season scoring 44 points (33+11) in just 18 games.
Starting the 2021/22 season in Swindon, a move to NIHL 1 Bristol Pitbulls swiftly came about for young Mason who showed he wasn’t phased by the step up, as he scored 45 points (22+23) in 32 appearances as well as earning himself National League ice time with the Swindon Wildcats.
Bison Head Coach Ash Tait, will be grateful for a full weeks training with the players, in particular our new imports Gaël Lubwele and Marcel Balaz after their late arrivals into the UK prior to last weekends games, although both made very decent debuts under the circumstances.
A good first outing from the Wall of Sound, naturally DJ Bavy will be encouraging everyone to take it up a notch or two this week.
Remember it’s Loud, Louder, Loudest.
