BASINGSTOKE, UK – The Basingstoke Bison will have to beat Slough Jets in the final of the EPL Cup if they want to lift their first piece of silverware in 11 years. The first leg of the contest is in Basingstoke on Wednesday night with the return in Berkshire later in the month.
The last time the Herd were in a final was three years ago in the Elite League’s Challenge Cup when they faced league champions Coventry Blaze and led the contest for five periods, before a 4-0 final session reverse in the Skydome saw Basingstoke beaten.
The Bison were underdogs in the EPL Cup semi-final against Manchester and won the away leg to progress to the final and will start again as outsiders when they meet their Berkshire rivals.
The bitter rivalry between the teams is spiced up as many of the players have played for both teams during their careers, but neither team has lifted the EPL Cup.
In the last two meetings with Adam Calder now in their line-up the Jets have won by a couple of goals, but before that the Herd had the upper hand with three wins out of four in the league.
The latest of these encounters was last Saturday, when Slough eventually skated away to a 6-4 success in Basingstoke.
The visitors got off to a great start as former Bison players Doug Sheppard and Shaun Thompson made it 2-0 in the first 10 minutes.
However, not for the first time this season the Herd hit back as Victor Kubenko and Steve Moria both netted to level the scores by the first buzzer.
The home side then took the lead just 25 seconds into the second session thanks to a great strike from Mindy Kieras.
The Lithuanian defenseman had a superb evening and ended the game with the man-of-the-match award after having a hand in all four Bison goals.
This time it was Slough who equalised thanks to a rocket shot from Darius Pliskauskas which hit the side of netminder Dean Skinns helmet on the way into the net.
That left the goalie needing treatment, but after it he was able to continue.
The Bison then took the lead again as Slovak sniper Ondrej Lauko netted, but in the final minute of the second period a nice strike from Jan Krajicek made it 4-4.
Sheppard scored what proved to be the game winner and then the Herd conceded their first empty net goal since joining the EPL, as Joe Greener fired in from centre ice.
“I felt we played well tonight and we have out shot them in the last two periods, but we just did not have the lucky around the net,” said Bison player/coach Steve Moria.
The Bison bounced back to winning ways on Sunday night with a low scoring 2-1 victory over their local rivals Bracknell Bees.
All the goals came in the first 20 minutes of the contest as Victor Kubenko opened the scoring for the Herd, before Peter Jasik equalised on the powerplay.
Top British scorer Ollie Bronnimann then scored the game winning goal.
After that both netminders Basingstoke’s Dean Skinns and Bracknell Craig Ambler saved everything that was thrown at them on the way to the man-of-the-match awards.
However, the victory came at a cost as British defenseman Ricky Skene suffered a knee injury in the first period which has ruled him out for this weekend’s games. Which sees a visit from basement side Telford Tigers and then a trip to second side Guildford.
The Herd will be looking to complete a clean sweep in their series over Saturday’s visitors, but when last in town the Tigers roared into a 2-0 lead, before the home side scored some super team goals to earn a 8-5 victory.
On Sunday night, the fourth placed Bison will hope to make it a four point weekend and narrow the gap on the Flames who face Slough currently third the night before, the heat is really on Guildford to keep hold of the runners-up spot.
Basingstoke have yet to win at the Spectrum this season, but Sunday would be the perfect time
“We have to make sure we are ready for Telford as they have shocked a few teams this season. We still believe we can get second spot, but to do that we have to make sure we win on Sunday night.
“Getting four points this weekend would be the ideal way to set us up for the cup final game, “ said Moria.
Contact the author Graham.Merry@Prohockeynews.com
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