Individual News
2nd of November 2007
Basingstoke Bison head coach Ryan Aldridge would like to announce the following news from the Herd this week.
A new starting netminder in Curtis Cruickshank has been signed, for what will be his third spell in a Bison jersey. On the minus side Ben O'Connor has left the Herd and Slava Koulikov will play his final games for Basingstoke this weekend.
Cruickshank, who holds a club record five shut-outs for the Hampshire outfit, trained with his new team mates on Thursday and Friday ready for the weekend's action.
The Bison are on their travels on Saturday to Cardiff for a league game, and then on Sunday they face the Belfast Giants at home in their final Challenge Cup group match.
Talking about his new import netminder Aldridge said: "Curtis is a good goalie. He is looking forward to once again playing in Basingstoke. He has done well here in the past and I can't see why that will not happen again."
Cruickshank in his first season with Basingstoke in 2003/04 was voted the all-star goalie and finished runner-up in the player of the season for the Elite League.
After two years in Nottingham, last autumn he joined Newcastle, before returning to the Basingstoke to guide the Herd in to the play-offs. The departure of Stevie Lyle, once again opened the way for Basingstoke's top netminder of recent years to return.
In the same week of the arrival of Cruickshank, British defenceman O'Connor has departed.
Aldridge said: " Ben wanted to play for a club where he could improve as a player, but with negativity in Basingstoke, he felt he was unable to achieve it."
Talking about the departure of forward Koulikov, the Bison head coach said: "Both myself and Slava came to an agreement that it was in the interests of both parties for him to look for another new club."
This Sunday's home game against Belfast, is not on the season ticket, and season ticket holders have until an hour before the 6.30pm face-off to purchase their normal seats, after that they will go on general sale. All tickets can be purchased on (01256) 355266.
After the match with Belfast, there will be the first shirt auction of the season up in the bar at the Basingstoke Arena, with the home white shirts going under the hammer.
A new starting netminder in Curtis Cruickshank has been signed, for what will be his third spell in a Bison jersey. On the minus side Ben O'Connor has left the Herd and Slava Koulikov will play his final games for Basingstoke this weekend.
Cruickshank, who holds a club record five shut-outs for the Hampshire outfit, trained with his new team mates on Thursday and Friday ready for the weekend's action.
The Bison are on their travels on Saturday to Cardiff for a league game, and then on Sunday they face the Belfast Giants at home in their final Challenge Cup group match.
Talking about his new import netminder Aldridge said: "Curtis is a good goalie. He is looking forward to once again playing in Basingstoke. He has done well here in the past and I can't see why that will not happen again."
Cruickshank in his first season with Basingstoke in 2003/04 was voted the all-star goalie and finished runner-up in the player of the season for the Elite League.
After two years in Nottingham, last autumn he joined Newcastle, before returning to the Basingstoke to guide the Herd in to the play-offs. The departure of Stevie Lyle, once again opened the way for Basingstoke's top netminder of recent years to return.
In the same week of the arrival of Cruickshank, British defenceman O'Connor has departed.
Aldridge said: " Ben wanted to play for a club where he could improve as a player, but with negativity in Basingstoke, he felt he was unable to achieve it."
Talking about the departure of forward Koulikov, the Bison head coach said: "Both myself and Slava came to an agreement that it was in the interests of both parties for him to look for another new club."
This Sunday's home game against Belfast, is not on the season ticket, and season ticket holders have until an hour before the 6.30pm face-off to purchase their normal seats, after that they will go on general sale. All tickets can be purchased on (01256) 355266.
After the match with Belfast, there will be the first shirt auction of the season up in the bar at the Basingstoke Arena, with the home white shirts going under the hammer.