Bison beef-up in both departments

BASINGSTOKE, UK- The Herd have beefed up both their offense and defense departments after adding Chris Wiggins and Ricky Skene to their line-up.
Power forward Wiggins is another re-signing for the team, while Skene is also no stranger to the Basingstoke having worn a Herd uniform in season 2004/05.
The latest returnee to the forward line stands 6ft 5in and Wiggins uncompromising style of play saw him lead Basingstoke last season in penalty minutes with 136 minutes.
However, it must be said 50 came from one incident in the final month of the regular season when he stuck up for team mate Jamie Line, who had been checked head first into the boards by Milton Keynes’ Grant McPherson.
This forced Wiggins to sit out the final four games of the league campaign due suspension.
His no nonsense approach made him a fans’ favourite, but the hard hitting forward has a lot more to his game and also chipped in with 10 goals last season in his best ever EPL haul of 18 points.
That was not a bad feat when you consider the 22-year-old played most of his hockey on the Bison’s all Brit third line.
The Guildford UK born native’s best tally was a brace   in the 8-5 win over Bracknell and then took his tally to four from four games as he netted in victories over Swindon and Romford a week later.
Bison player-coach Steve Moria spotted Wiggins when playing for the Bracknell Hornets in the ENL and was not disappointed with his season’s work. Having joined as the team’s spare tenth forward.
“Wiggy really developed as a player during last season and I think he has learnt how to use his size so much better. This year I cannot see why he cannot improve again,” said Moria.
“I am pleased to be back and I feel I did enough last year to earn a place on the third line.
“I think a lot of people wrote us off last season when we were suffering from injuries. I think we proved to everyone what we are about in the final weeks of the season and proved we were a match for anyone. I think we can now take the next step and win silverware, ” said Wiggins.
The return of Wiggins beefs up the forward line and Skene will do the same in defense.
The Chicago USA born blue liner grew up in Britain playing his hockey at the old Richmond rink and Slough.
For the past five years the 28-year-old had suited up for the Guildford Flames, but now returns to the Herd where he played just one season when the club were in the Elite League in 2004/05 and Mark Bernard was in charge of the Herd.
He is very much a stay-at-home defenseman and his game is all about dishing out hits and playing his own end of the ice really well.
“Ricky is someone I have played against many times and it does whatever it takes to win,” said Moria.
Skene returns to Basingstoke looking to show the Bison fans what he is all about something he feels he was unable to do last time around.
“This is a new challenge for me and the fans in Basingstoke were good to me last time, but I did not feel I really showed them what I am all about. It was a tough year being the NHL lock-out and it made the Elite League that season very physically intimidating place to be for a young defenseman,” said Skene.
“I have always played on the top two D lines shutting down the other team’s top players and I will be looking to do that again this season. I know I am not going to score a whole lot of points. My game is to allow others to do that. For me making a great shot block is worth more than an assist to me,” added Skene   
His addition is sure to complement the Herd defensemen already signed in Sam Oakford, Kurt Reynolds and Tony Redmond.
His addition could yet give Bison player-coach Moria the chance to move Redmond up front where he did so well last season.
That will depend on the final pieces of the recruitment jigsaw in the coming months.
Contact the author Graham.Merry@Prohockeynews.com