BASINGSTOKE UK: With one trophy secured the Bison have now set their sights on another, as they start their play-off campaign with a two game series with the Manchester Phoenix.
The Herd enjoyed a 6-0 series win the regular season, but as the Herd found out last season when the Phoenix dumped them at this stage nothing is certain at this stage of the season.
The Bison will also go into the game minus their club captain Aaron Connolly who was suffered a fractured skill on the final weekend of the regular season at Milton Keynes, which saw the Lightning defenseman Martti Jarventie ejected for charging.
It will mean Herd head man Doug Sheppard will have to tinker with his forward lines, as he finds another player to link up with Rene Jarolin and Joe Greener, but he does have plenty of possibilities.
“We have won one trophy and that is put to bed now. We won the double in 2014, so it would be nice to do it again,” said Bison head coach Sheppard.
The Bison wrapped up their regular season with a 3-1 win at home to Guildford in which top British forward Greener was given a guard of honour by the other Herd players in his last regular season game before he heads to the States.
After this goals from top goal scorer Tomas Karpov, Shaun Thompson and Alan Lack made sure of the win as Matt Towe scored Guildford’s lone strike.
The previous night in an ill tempered contest, the Herd were beaten 3-2 in Milton Keynes, by the Lightning.
The first session saw the sides swap goals from Jordan Cownie and Greener, while in between there were a few roughing penalties dished out.
The second session saw the PIMs increase further with Jarventine’s match penalty and during the five minute powerplay Tomas Hiadlovsky saved a penalty shot from Cownie.
The final period saw even more roughing penalties dished out as six players went to the sin bin as Alan Lack took an early shower after being given a game for slashing.
The Bison killed the major penalty, but as it expired Glenn Biling scored and then Lewis Hook made it 3-1.
Grant Rounding, who has spent most of the season side lined with injury, scored his first goal of the season, but the Herd were unable to force the game into overtime.
You must be logged in to post a comment.