Reynolds back as Bison ram Raiders

BASINGSTOKE, UK – Basingstoke-born defenseman Kurt Reynolds returned to the Bison line-up last Saturday and helped the Herd to an 8-2 victory over the Romford Raiders.
The British D-man has been sidelined with a fractured finger and needed a plate and pins inserted into before he could play again, but he was delighted to be back out on the ice.
“It was like starting a new season for me tonight. I am so pleased to be back and it is great that all the players are back expect for Scott (Spearing) are back. I really think that helps the spirit in the room, as everyone is involved instead of being injury,” said Reynolds.
With his return to the blue line and Tyrone Miller still being on the roster that gave the Herd five defensemen, so Bison player/coach Steve Moria decided to move Tony Redmond to the forward line.
The Scotsman who in his previous spells in Basingstoke has always played as a forward took the opportunity to score his first goal of the season in the fifth minute. That proved a catalyst as by the ninth minute further strikes from Joe Ciccarello and Ondrej Lauko saw Romford coach Jesse Hammill call a time out. That stopped the goal rush and they pulled a goal back from Finnish import Mikko Silvennoinen in his last road game for the club.  

The middle session saw the sides swap goals as Lauko scored for the Bison and then Dean Tonks for the Raiders assisted by Chris Jones the pick of the Romford forwards on the night. The Bison then added two more goals thanks to super shorthanded strike from Joe Ciccarello and a Lauko hat-trick marker.
The final period saw the new all British Bison line of Ollie Bronnimann, Tom Long and Jamie Line link up beautifully with Line finding the net. It was left to Lauko to score his fourth of the night to complete the match scoring and move back into pole position in the English Premier League goal scoring charts.  
“I felt we played three solid periods of hockey and I moved Tony (Redmond) with Nicky (Chinn) and Ondrej (Lauko) to see if I can rekindle the spark in that line.”
Also back from injury for that game was big forward Chris Wiggins, whose first shift lasted just seconds as he picked up the first penalty of the game. He saw plenty of ice time in the final period as Chinn was rested.
On Sunday night, the Bison were undone by the Peterborough Phantoms all Brit line of Joe Miller, Shaun Yardley and James Spurr who scored four of their team’s goals in a 6-3 victory.  
The Basingstoke markers came from Lauko, Chinn and Moria and leaves the Herd winless in seven on the road. So it will come as a great relief that this weekend they have only one game and that is at home to local rivals the Bracknell Bees.
Contact the author Graham.merry@prohockeynews.com