Individual News
1st of February 2008
The super silky skills of Steve Thornton return on Saturday, as the influential playmaker is back in the Basingstoke Bison line-up for the club's most important game of the season.
The Herd will stampede onto the ice that evening to face the visiting Hull Stingrays in the first leg of their British Knockout Cup semi-final.
The final four showdown is the first in seven years for the Bison as they look to sting the Rays.
The return of Thornton will add even more depth to the forward lines. The Canadian has only played once since picking up a hand injury just before Christmas and that was in the 6-0 British Knockout Cup demolition of the Cardiff Devils.
Bison fans will be hoping lightning strikes twice and once again his presence on the ice is sure to inspire those around him.
Taking over Thornton's duties behind the home bench, will be defenceman Kyle Peto who has arrived back in Britain after having surgery on his broken wrist. It is hoped he will return to the line-up well in time for the semi-final second leg in Hull on February 24.
A bumper crowd is once again expected to pack into the Basingstoke Arena on Saturday and head coach Ryan Aldridge feels winning a trophy would be a fitting end to a turbulent season in Basingstoke.
Aldridge said: "The team and fans deserve some silverware for all that has happened this season. This is a huge game for us and we are going out there to give our all. I want every player to leave nothing on the table."
Tickets to experience cup fever night in Basingstoke are still available on (01256) 355266 for a game which has a 6.30pm face-off
The visiting Hull Stingrays are sure to put up a fight and former Bison player/coach Rick Strachan who guided Basingstoke to their first Benson and Hedges Plate success in 1999 will have his team well drilled
This is the second game in three days for Hull as they lost in a bmibaby Elite League game at Belfast on Thursday night 3-1, with Jake Riddle scoring the lone goal.
In Basingstoke games between these sides have been tight this season, with the Herd running out 3-1 winners twice either side of a 4-3 overtime defeat.
When these sides met last month in Hull, for once the game was a real goal fest ending 7-6 after a penalty shoot-out .
Danny Stewart led the Bison scoring with two, while Greg Chambers, Derek Campbell, Brad Cruikshank and Greg Owen all netted once for the visitors, before Cruikshank was the only successful penalty shooter.
In reply for Hull, Rob Rankin and Jake Riddle both scored braces, while Lee Mitchell and Gerhard Gottfried got singles.
Since that game the Stingrays have added another import forward to their line-up in Ukrainian Sergiy Rublivsky from Newcastle. This is his second spell at the club and last season he scored 21 goals in 60 games.
Also making his first appearance in Basingstoke this season, is Finnish defenceman Jani Virtainen who missed the previous three games here as he suffered a broken collarbone at the start of the campaign.
On Sunday night, the Bison return to league action with a trip to league leaders the Coventry Blaze.
However, all eyes for the Bison are firmly focussed on their cup semi-final first.
The Herd will stampede onto the ice that evening to face the visiting Hull Stingrays in the first leg of their British Knockout Cup semi-final.
The final four showdown is the first in seven years for the Bison as they look to sting the Rays.
The return of Thornton will add even more depth to the forward lines. The Canadian has only played once since picking up a hand injury just before Christmas and that was in the 6-0 British Knockout Cup demolition of the Cardiff Devils.
Bison fans will be hoping lightning strikes twice and once again his presence on the ice is sure to inspire those around him.
Taking over Thornton's duties behind the home bench, will be defenceman Kyle Peto who has arrived back in Britain after having surgery on his broken wrist. It is hoped he will return to the line-up well in time for the semi-final second leg in Hull on February 24.
A bumper crowd is once again expected to pack into the Basingstoke Arena on Saturday and head coach Ryan Aldridge feels winning a trophy would be a fitting end to a turbulent season in Basingstoke.
Aldridge said: "The team and fans deserve some silverware for all that has happened this season. This is a huge game for us and we are going out there to give our all. I want every player to leave nothing on the table."
Tickets to experience cup fever night in Basingstoke are still available on (01256) 355266 for a game which has a 6.30pm face-off
The visiting Hull Stingrays are sure to put up a fight and former Bison player/coach Rick Strachan who guided Basingstoke to their first Benson and Hedges Plate success in 1999 will have his team well drilled
This is the second game in three days for Hull as they lost in a bmibaby Elite League game at Belfast on Thursday night 3-1, with Jake Riddle scoring the lone goal.
In Basingstoke games between these sides have been tight this season, with the Herd running out 3-1 winners twice either side of a 4-3 overtime defeat.
When these sides met last month in Hull, for once the game was a real goal fest ending 7-6 after a penalty shoot-out .
Danny Stewart led the Bison scoring with two, while Greg Chambers, Derek Campbell, Brad Cruikshank and Greg Owen all netted once for the visitors, before Cruikshank was the only successful penalty shooter.
In reply for Hull, Rob Rankin and Jake Riddle both scored braces, while Lee Mitchell and Gerhard Gottfried got singles.
Since that game the Stingrays have added another import forward to their line-up in Ukrainian Sergiy Rublivsky from Newcastle. This is his second spell at the club and last season he scored 21 goals in 60 games.
Also making his first appearance in Basingstoke this season, is Finnish defenceman Jani Virtainen who missed the previous three games here as he suffered a broken collarbone at the start of the campaign.
On Sunday night, the Bison return to league action with a trip to league leaders the Coventry Blaze.
However, all eyes for the Bison are firmly focussed on their cup semi-final first.