It’s a White Rose weekend for the GalxC Cooling Services Basingstoke Bison, with home and away games against the Sheffield Steeldogs in the NIHL National League.
On Saturday we welcome the Steeldogs to the Silverdome for their first visit of the season, face off will be at 6.30pm.
Sunday’s return game at Ice Sheffield has a 4.30pm face off (remember the clocks go back 1 hour this weekend).
Although Saturday is the first meeting in Basingstoke, it’s the second time the teams have faced each other in the 2021/22 season, the Autumn Cup game at the start of October in Sheffield, saw the Bison leave with the points after a hard fought 4-3 win.
Since that initial meeting the Steeldogs have made a couple of changes to their roster, bringing in Lee Haywood, who last iced for them in 2015/16, he replaces ex-Bison defender Tommy Ralph.
Also new to the team this season, but not new to the Dogs, is GB U20 forward Alex Graham, on a 2-way contract with EIHL side Sheffield Steelers.
Graham made 38 NIHL appearances during the 2019/20 season, notching up 52 points (21+31), having previously played 13 times in 2018/19, scoring 13 points (7+6) in NIHL1.
Sheffield Steeldogs occupy 3rd place in the NIHL National league, having won 3 out of 4, their only loss came in Slough last Sunday. Whereas the Bison sit in 6th, albeit just 2 points adrift of this weekends opponents.
Last weekend the Bison won a real thriller at home to Raiders IHC, 5-4 in overtime, then fell to a disappointing defeat on Sunday night in Telford.
No doubt coach Tait will have had the boys working hard in training this week, looking to return to winning ways this weekend.
