BASINGSTOKE, UK – Jaroslav Cesky made the perfect start to his career at the Bison as he helped his new side collect maximum points against the Slough Jets.
The Herd cruised to an easy 6-2 victory on home ice with Cesky returning 0+2 and then the following night at the Hangar the visitors won 2-1 after a penalty shoot-out with Cesky netting the winner.
The Czech import forward joined the Bison prior to the games which saw defenseman Tomas Fojtik move in the opposite direction to the Telford Tigers.
Cesky a former EPL Player of the Year adds even more firepower to a forward line which includes fellow imports Doug Sheppard, Greg Chambers and Joe Rand.
In addition there are also top Brits Greg Owen, Joe Miller and Joe Greener.
With Cesky’s arrival Tony Redmond has returned to the blue line which now has an all Brit look about it in front of the league’s top goalie Welshman Stevie Lyle.
“Jaroslav means we are very deep with forwards, but he adds something different to the line-up and he certainly creates a lot on the powerplay,
“I felt it was a very good team performance in both games and we really had to battle on Sunday for the win, ” said Bison boss Sheppard
In the home game with Slough the game was won thanks to three goals in the space of 78 seconds in the middle session from Rand, Sheppard and Miller.
After Slough’s Adam Greener playing against his brother Joe for the first time ever had taken his frustration out on Rand which earned him four minutes for roughing.
The Bison added a fourth goal on the first of the two resulting powerplay as Owen scored.
The final session saw Slough’s leading goal scorer Frantisek Bakrlik grab a shorthanded marker, but the Miller restored the four goal lead for the home side.
Matt Towlaski netted Jets second before Sheppard completed the scoring as Bison chalked up their most goals for a game so far this season which was six.
The following night in the small Slough rink it was a hard hitting affair with few goals as Owen scored in the first period for the Bison and Tomas Valecko replied in the last period.
Even overtime could not split the teams so it went to the shoot-out with Darius Pliskauskas hitting the post with the opener.
Bison’s Greg Chambers and Slough’s Frankie Bakrlik both then scored and Cesky made it 2-1, before Valecko saw his shot saved giving Basingstoke the win.
This weekend, the Bison have a double header with Guildford and the Herd have won the last three home games, but lost the last nine league meetings away including one already this season.
Contact the author Graham.Merry@Prohockeynews.com
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