Individual News
9th of September 2012
The ADD Recycling Basingstoke Bison continued their pre-season preparation on Saturday night with a 2-2 tie at home against the Guildford Flames. It was a stern test for the new look Bison team against the reigning EPL Champions. Bison were at full strength, icing all the newcomers including massive new import defenseman Tomas Fojtik. However it was new starting netminder Stevie Lyle, signed from Elite League Cardiff Devils in the summer, who stole the show with a man-of-the-match award winning 30 saves.
Flames ran into penalty trouble at 14:00 as Neil Liddiard joined Ricky Plant in the penalty box for high sticks, and last season’s top scorer Joe Miller capitalised on the 5-on-3 powerplay as he opened his account for the season with a top corner finish at 14:24. Kurt Reynolds took a pass from Greg Chambers and found Miller alone in front of the Flames net and he made no mistake with the finish, burying the puck high over Mark Lee's glove hand, leaving the Bison 1 goal to the good at the first break.
The 2nd period saw more sustained pressure by the Flames on the Bison net, and it was Curtis Huppe who drew the Flames level as he tipped in a Jozef Kohut point shot at 27:57, with Branislav Kvetan also assisting. Tomas Fojtik endeared himself to the home crowd as he dropped the gloves and went toe-to-toe with Flames enforcer Andrew Sharp at 28:26, with both men picking up slashing minors, as well as 2+2 roughing penalties. Flames went ahead at 38:35 on a powerplay with Carl Graham in the box for Slashing. David Longstaff and David Savage combined and Longstaff fed Nathan Rempel streaking in alone and he deked around Lyle and found the net.
The 3rd period saw the Bison find their form again, and Joe Miller notched his 2nd goal of the game at 47:48 after combining well again with Greg Chambers on a 2-on-1 breakaway, Chambers feathered a pass across the slot and Miller tipped the puck high into the net giving Mark Lee no chance. The Bison were presented with just over 50 seconds on 5-on-3 powerplay late in the game, as both Ricky Skene and Stuart Potts took minor penalties, but the Flames held strong and the Bison were unable to force a winner before time expired.
Netminders Stevie Lyle and Mark Lee were voted man-of-the-match for each team. Bison player-coach Doug Sheppard left the game early in the first period after taking a knock to the head, with youngster Cameron Wynn stepping into his role on a line with Joe Rand and Joe Greener.
Bison scoring: Miller 2+0; Chambers 0+2; Reynolds 0+1 - Lyle: 2/32
Flames scoring: Huppe, Rempel 1+0; Kohut, Kvetan, Longstaff, Savage 0+1 - Lee: 2/36
Bison travel to Guildford tomorrow evening for the return leg with a 6pm face-off.
Flames ran into penalty trouble at 14:00 as Neil Liddiard joined Ricky Plant in the penalty box for high sticks, and last season’s top scorer Joe Miller capitalised on the 5-on-3 powerplay as he opened his account for the season with a top corner finish at 14:24. Kurt Reynolds took a pass from Greg Chambers and found Miller alone in front of the Flames net and he made no mistake with the finish, burying the puck high over Mark Lee's glove hand, leaving the Bison 1 goal to the good at the first break.
The 2nd period saw more sustained pressure by the Flames on the Bison net, and it was Curtis Huppe who drew the Flames level as he tipped in a Jozef Kohut point shot at 27:57, with Branislav Kvetan also assisting. Tomas Fojtik endeared himself to the home crowd as he dropped the gloves and went toe-to-toe with Flames enforcer Andrew Sharp at 28:26, with both men picking up slashing minors, as well as 2+2 roughing penalties. Flames went ahead at 38:35 on a powerplay with Carl Graham in the box for Slashing. David Longstaff and David Savage combined and Longstaff fed Nathan Rempel streaking in alone and he deked around Lyle and found the net.
The 3rd period saw the Bison find their form again, and Joe Miller notched his 2nd goal of the game at 47:48 after combining well again with Greg Chambers on a 2-on-1 breakaway, Chambers feathered a pass across the slot and Miller tipped the puck high into the net giving Mark Lee no chance. The Bison were presented with just over 50 seconds on 5-on-3 powerplay late in the game, as both Ricky Skene and Stuart Potts took minor penalties, but the Flames held strong and the Bison were unable to force a winner before time expired.
Netminders Stevie Lyle and Mark Lee were voted man-of-the-match for each team. Bison player-coach Doug Sheppard left the game early in the first period after taking a knock to the head, with youngster Cameron Wynn stepping into his role on a line with Joe Rand and Joe Greener.
Bison scoring: Miller 2+0; Chambers 0+2; Reynolds 0+1 - Lyle: 2/32
Flames scoring: Huppe, Rempel 1+0; Kohut, Kvetan, Longstaff, Savage 0+1 - Lee: 2/36
Bison travel to Guildford tomorrow evening for the return leg with a 6pm face-off.