The mid-table Bison’s hopes of climbing up the English Premier League were dealt a blow this weekend with a loss on Sunday, despite bagging two points 24 hours earlier.
The weekend began in style with a hard-earned 5-4 home victory against eighth-placed Swindon Wildcats.
But hopes of a four point double header were shattered on Sunday as a superb game from Slough Jets netminder Greg Rockman denied all 32 Bison attempts on goal.
The results leave the Bison sixth in the league, trailing Milton Keynes Lightning by a point, having played one game more. And fourth place Sheffield Steeldogs are four points clear of the Herd.
On Saturday, ‘Stoke showed their mettle in front of home fans, fighting back from 2-0 down by the end of the first period.
The Wildcats took the upper hand after two minutes as Jaroslav Cesky found a way past Stephen Wall in the Bison net.
Midway through the first period Jan Melichar doubled the Wildcats lead as he latched onto a Cesky pass and found the roof of the net.
In the second period, Bison Tony Redmond halved the deficit finishing off a Steve Moria set up. Ten minutes later Marcel Petran netted a trademark blast to draw the Herd level. Shortly afterwards Daniel Volrab put the Bison in front, shovelling home a a rebound off the keeper’s pads.
The Wildcats drew level seconds after the starting buzzer for the final third when Aaron Neil beat Wall, with Cesky and Marcel Pinc assisting in the goal.
Neil grabbed his brace four minutes later slotting home a rebound from a Ryan Aldridge shot. Captain Nicky Chin made it four apiece with 10 minutes left of the match, beating former Bison teammate Dean Skinns in the Wildcats net.
Jacob Heron sealed the Herd’s win, slotting the puck past Skinns.
On Sunday the Bison travelled away to to face third place Slough Jets.
The Bison suffered at the hands of Rockman who shut down everything put at him.
Darius Pliskausks took his brace within the first 10 minutes of the first period.
The second period saw no goals from either side, and with 10 minutes to go, Pliskausks earned his hat-trick with an assist from Ryan Watt to end the third period and the match 3-0.
