It was a mixed weekend for Basingstoke Bison, following their 4-6 loss on Saturday night to visiting Slough Jets.
Bison then headed to local rivals Bracknell Bees for Sunday’s fixture, which saw them notch up a 2-1 victory.
Three former Bison players contributed to the downfall of the Herd on Saturday.
Slough’s Doug Sheppard was the first to get on the score sheet in the forth minute and then Shaun Thompson doubled the advantage in the ninth minute to give the visitors a 2- 0 lead.
Victor Kubenko fired home in the 11th minute to reduce the lead to one.
Then Bison coach Steve Moria netted to draw the home side level before the first buzzer.
The home side took the lead 25 seconds after the re-start following a nicely worked play by Kubenko behind the Jet’s net, passing out front to an awaiting Mindy Kieras who fired home to put Bison up 3-2.
The lead was not held for long and in the 25th minute Darius Pliskauskas equalised for the Jets.
Bison were in front again following a great individual effort by Ondrej Lauko before Jet’s Jan Krajicek tied the game at 4-4 with a blue-line bullet that sneaked past Dean Skinns to end the second period tied.
Slough regained the lead again at 46:25, Sheppard claiming his second of the night. An evenly matched third period saw the home side pull Skinns for the extra skater with 37 seconds remaining.
Joe Greener fired at the empty net to give the Jets a 6-4 victory, with the Herd conceding their first ever empty net goal in the English Premier League.
Bison bounced back to winning ways on Sunday night, after defeating Bracknell Bees 2-1.
It was a busy first period for both teams as Bison’s Victor Kubenko opened the scoring at 9:06, before Bracknell’s Peter Jasik levelled the game at 1-1.
Ollie Bronnimann fired Bison ahead for the second and final time of the night as he put the Herd up 2-1 in the 18th minute.
The remaining two periods were a showcase for both netminders, as Basingstoke’s Dean Skinns and Bracknell’s Craig Ambler saved everything that was thrown their way, and both men skated off with man-of-the-match awards.
Bison waited in anticipation last night (Wednesday) to find out who they will face in the cup final, between the Slough Jets and Guildford Flames.
Bison face Telford Tigers at home on Saturday before travelling to Guildford Flames on Sunday.
