The Bison have bagged their third win on-the-trot, finally consigning their December losing streak to history.
The Herd topped the Guildford Flames on New Year’s Eve and continued their winning run with a penalty shootout win against the Peterborough Phantom’s on Monday.
The Herd lie sixth in the English Ice Hockey premier league, trailing Manchester Phoenix and a point ahead of Swindon Wildcats.
In front of a packed Basingstoke Arena, the Bison beat table-topping Flames with a convincing 5-2 scoreline.
Bison were without new signing Stephen Wall in the net and forward Chris Wiggins was sidelined through suspension.
The Flames were sharp from the start, with Bison netminder Matt Colclough saving a Milos Melicherik shot inside the first minute.
The Flames opened the scoring after five minutes when Matt Towe netted from a former Bison Andrew Hemming set-up.
Two minutes later, the Flames’ Branislav Kvetan was binned, giving the Bison the upper hand.
Joe Miller capitalised, picking up the loose puck and netting on the back hand.
Half way through the first period, Bison took the lead when Daniel Volrab fired the puck over keeper Mark Lee’s right shoulder.
Earlier in the second period, Jacob Heron’s shot took a deflection into the net, bumping the scoreline to 3-1. And 24 seconds later, captain Nicky Chinn bagged his first from a Viktor Kubenko pass.
Colclough kept the scoreline intact with a superb save from a Nathan Rempel shot. But Rempel got his revenge.
In the final period the Herd remained in the driving seat as the Flames hunted for goals.
But former Flame turned Bison stalwart Ollie Bronnimann sealed the win, scoring a one-on-one three minutes into the final period.
The Bison’s winning streak continued with an away trip to the Peterborough Phantom’s two days later.
Marcel Petran scored the winning penalty shot to secure a hard earned win for the Bison.
Bison started slowly with the Phantoms taking a two-goal lead early on through former Bison Ondrej Lauko in the first period and Luke Ferrera four minutes into the second.
But the Bison clawed their way back. Bronnimann found former Phantom Joe Miller unmarked as he blasted home from close range.
And as the second period drew to a close, Volrab hit a simple shot towards goal that took a deflection from Greg Randall, shifting into the top corner.
With everything to play for in the final period, it was Bison who took the lead early with Bronnimann firing them into the lead.
The Phantoms’ Jeff Glowa tied the game, beating Colclough with a low shot. With the scores level and the end of normal and overtime, the game went to a penalty shootout.
In the round of four penalties, Colclough was beaten by Lauko, but denied Tom Carlon, Ferrara and Maris Ziedins.
At the other end, penalties from Bronnimann and Miller were saved, but Volrab levelled the scores, leaving man-of-the-match Marcel Petran to fire home the winner.
Bison are next in action against Bracknell Bees at home on Saturday.
