It’s Play Off time for the GalxC Cooling Services sponsored Basingstoke Bison, having finished 7th in the National League standings, they now begin their quest to qualify for the finals weekend in Coventry.
First up for the Bison are the Sheffield Steeldogs, who secured 3rd spot by beating Leeds Knights on the last day of the regular season.
This coming Saturday the Herd will make the trip up to Yorkshire, where face off at the Ice Sheffield rink is 7.30pm.
The return game on Sunday at the Silverdome will face off at 5.30pm.
Sheffield are coached by Greg Wood, who made 119 EIHL appearances for the Bison between 2004 and 2008.
Wood has built a well balanced roster with fine blend of experience and youth.
When it comes to experience no one has more of it than former GB and Steelers legend Jason Hewitt whose Elite League career spanned from 2003/04 to 2015/16.
Unsurprisingly, Hewitt was the Steeldogs’ leading points scorer in this seasons National League, amassing 92pts (42+50) from 44 games. Matt Bissonnette was the next best with 76pts (15+61) from 40 games.
In recent weeks the Steeldogs have been able to call on the services of the highly promising 19 yr old British forward Alex Graham, who is on a 2-way contract with EIHL team Sheffield Steelers, making 20 appearances, scoring 5 pts (2+3).
Add in a defence containing Ben Morgan, Tim Smith, Lee Haywood and Captain Lewis Bell, who between them have a total of 37 seasons as a Steeldog, and you have a side with attacking prowess and gritty defence in equal measures.
Of course end of season play offs are a short sprint in comparison to the marathon that is the regular season, they allow any one of the remaining 8 teams the opportunity to pick up some silverware.
No doubt Bison Head Coach Ashley Tait will see this as a chance to rescue an otherwise disappointing season, naturally the team and the fans will be desperate to finish the season on a successful note.
Fans of the Herd you have another 3, hopefully 4 weekends, of hockey to be Loud, Louder, Loudest.
