BASINGSTOKE Bison opened their home campaign of 2015 with a superb 3-2 penalty shoot-out victory over English Premier League leaders Telford Tigers.

It was no more than the home side deserved as they matched the visitors in every department, despite still being without Matt Selby, Grant Rounding and Nicky Chinn.

After the visitors started the game the better, the Bison dominated for most of the opening period.

A breakaway by man-of-the-match Tomas Karpov saw him hauled down by Jonathan Weaver, which gave the home side the first powerplay of the night.

They made full use of it, as Joe Rand scored from close range following a goal mouth scramble.

The home side went looked for a second goal as Aaron Connolly and Ciaran Long both tested Tom Murdy in the Telford net.

The teams were reduced to four skaters each after Kurt Reynolds and Rick Plant both took slashing penalties at the same time.

During the four-on-four play the Bison looked the better team and Rand was denied from a nice feed from Andy Melachrino.

Telford man-of-the-match Sam Zajac then had a shot saved and Joe Greener went close at the other end.

The Bison ended the period on another powerplay after Blahoslav Novak tripped Doug Sheppard.

The Herd were given another man advantage early in the second session which saw Joe Baird’s shot hit the post.

The Tigers levelled things as Plant made the most of good work from Dan Davies to score at 34:47.

The home side hit back with Rand and Connolly going close, while Novak saw his shot kicked away by Skinns.

The Tigers only powerplay of the night came at 31:24, after Miroslav Vantroba hooked Nathan Salem.

The visitors enjoyed a good spell of pressure as Skinns saved from both Weaver and Peter Szabo.

Melachrino then drove to the net, but his shot could only find the stomach of Murdy, before the Tigers’ Scott McKenzie hit the post.

Telford opened the final period the better as Szabo, Plant, Salem and Joe Miller all forced saves from Skinns in the opening four minutes.

The Bison got themselves back into the contest as Long’s shot flew just wide, but then Telford missed a great chance, when Davies was found at the back post by Novak, but he fired over.

The final penalty of the night went to the visitors after Szabo caught Long in the face with his stick.

However, it was Telford who scored shorthanded as Davies made amends for his earlier miss as he tapped in at the back post from a Weaver pass at 50:05.

The lead lasted just a minute, as Rand for the second time in the contest found a way past Murdy to make it 2-2.

The Bison looked for the winner and Vantroba’s blue line rocket shot and Cameron Wynn’s close range effort were both saved.

The home side dominated the extra five minutes of sudden death overtime as Melachrino, Reynolds and Baird all had shots saved.

So the game was decided by a penalty shoot-out.

Rand opened up with a lovely goal as he put the puck between the legs of the Murdy.

Szabo replied as his shot went in off the underside of the crossbar.

Long was next, but failed to get his shot away and Jason Silverthorn’s effort only found Skinns’ pads.

With just one shooter left in the best-of-three shoot-out and with the tension mounting Karpov with a great wrist shot scored.

It is now left to McKenzie to keep his side in the game, but his shot was gloved over by Skinns and the home fans were straight up on their feet to celebrate a memorable victory.

The victory means the Herd have the chance to move back to fourth place in the standings, if they win their road game in Manchester this evening (face-off 5.30pm).

Tonight’s game at Basingstoke between the Buffalo and Wightlink Tigers has been cancelled, as the visitors are unable to get back on the island after the game.