Winning Start To The New Season

The Basingstoke Bison opened their pre-season campaign with a couple of impressive victories over the Bristol Pitbulls. 

The Herd won on home ice 4-3 on Saturday evening, as all four new imports scored and then the following night in Bristol they cruised to a 6-1 win.

On Saturday in Basingstoke it was the Pitbulls who opened the scoring on the powerplay from Robbie Fisher at 4:52.

However, within a minute the home fans were celebrating twice in the space of 12 seconds as the Bison took the lead.

Sota Isogai fired in the first from the top of the slot having been found by Mac Howlett.

Man of the match Charles Farmer then converted a rebound from Charlie Risk’s blue line shot which came off the pads of Bristol netminder Will Kerlin.

From there the home side looked the more likely to score a third.

Brendan Sellan picked off a stray pass and found Isogai, whose shot was well saved by man of the match Kerlin.

The goalie was then called into action soon after to glove away a Howlett rocket shot as Isogai turned provider.

As the first period came to a close, a lovely defence splitting pass from Sam Smith released Nils Maskalans and he slotted home.

The Bison started the middle session the better as Farmer cannoned a shot off the crossbar and then George Norcliffe redirected a Stuart Mogg shot onto the post.

The home side deservedly took the lead again at 37:27 as Hallam Wilson found Adam Harding and he drove the net.

His shot was saved, but Risk made no mistake with rebound to make it 3-2 at the second break.

Bristol started the final period brightly and it was no surprise when Bobby Regan netted at 41:19.

However roared on by their home fans the Bison were not to be denied a victory in their first game of the season.

Their winner came five minutes later, as Farmer and Alex Sampford combined and AJ Macaulay applied the finish.

As the clock ticked down Bristol pulled their netminder, but were unable to score an equaliser and the Herd took a deserved victory.

On Sunday night in Bristol, the Bison dominated from start to finish.

In the opening three minutes, Bristol goalie Ben Norton was called into action to make smart saves from Sellan, Evan Nauth and Norcliffe.

Charlie Risk then crashed a shot off the crossbar, before Sellan was given too much space and fired home at 5:16.

The Herd carried on racking up the chances and got a deserved second as teenager Alfie Goddard scored his first ever goal at this level as he redirected Jay King’s blue line shot into the net.

Bristol pulled a goal back on the powerplay from Jake Bricknell, but the Herd hit back as Howlett forced a turnover and found the unmarked Kyle Carruth who made no mistake as the visitors went in at the break leading 3-1. 

The second session saw the Bison looking by far the better team and man of the match Isogai set-up Howlett who was denied by great save by Norton.

The Herd extended their lead soon after on the powerplay, as a great wrist shot from Stuart Mogg flew into the net.

The Bison made it 5-1 again on the powerplay after a lovely passing move was finished off by Sellan, for his second of the night.

The visitors then added a sixth again on the man advantage as Macaulay stepped off the bench and seconds later scored at 38:23.

The final session saw the Bison try and add to their tally especially Sellan who was so unlucky not to finish the game with a hat-trick.

This weekend, the Bison complete their pre-season campaign with a double header against the Swindon Wildcats.

The home game is on Friday September 11 (7.30pm) with the return in Swindon the following evening with a 6.30pm face off.