BASINGSTOKE UK: It was mixed start to 2010 for the Basingstoke Bison as they enjoyed the highs of beating the Manchester Phoenix for the first time this season, only to then be comfortably beaten on the road at the Guildford Flames.
The Herd who had previous lost the first four encounters with the Phoenix, felt they were in with a chance, when Ed Courtenay, Manchester’s leading goal scorer was scratched from the line-up having not flown back into the country.
That left both sides playing with three imports each, but the Bison had played the previous weekend minus Joe Ciccarello, used the same lines that earned them a winning double
For the visitors it meant a re-shuffle and with Jakko Hagelberg moving up to the top line in place of Courtenay, but it also meant that if Basingstoke could stop Phoenix player/coach Tony Hand dictating the game they would surely win.
The job of man marking Hand was given to fellow experienced Scot Tony Redmond, who did a superb job all night shutting the master play maker down.
Also back for Manchester between the pipes was Stephen Fone returning from injury and he did not get the start he was looking for as Tom Long and Redmond soon had the Bison 2-0 up.
However, that was the last time he was to be beaten on the night, but his team mates were only able to score once, that was when Hand shuffled his lines again to give Andre Payette a run on the top line instead of Adam Walker.
It proved a master stroke as on Payette’s very first shift with Hand he scored. The Phoenix player/coach for once having the ice to himself, with Redmond watching from the bench.
That was as good as it got for the Phoenix as the Herd then ran the clock down and only the bottom of the post denied Nicky Chinn a third goal in the final seconds
“This was a huge win for us we really wanted to get that monkey off our back and I felt we deserved this time. First time around in our building Manchester made the most some defensive errors by us and then second time around they just dominated the game. So it was good to finally get one over on them,” said Bison player/coach Steve Moria.
On Sunday night, the Bison may have felt the odds again were stacked in their favour as the Flames played their third game in as many night.
They were also without two of the top offensive marksmen in imports Nathan Rempel and Lubomir Hurtaj, so once again the teams had three imports.
The first session was tied at 1-1 thanks to goals from Guildford’s Milos Melicherik and Basingstoke’s Andy Hemmings.
However, a late strike from David Savage gave the Flames the lead and further goals from Lukas Smital and Melicherik ensured the biggest win of the season for Guildford over their local rivals, as the previous four games had all be decided by the odd goal.
The Herd must now re-group after the disappointment of seeing their three game winning streak ended.
This weekend they face a trip to the Link Centre to do battle with the Swindon Wildcats. When last there the Bison lost in the first shift of overtime.
Then on home ice on Sunday the league leaders Milton Keynes Lightning visit Basingstoke with the Herd keen to register their first win against them this season.
Contact graham.merry@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.