BASINGSTOKE Bison netminder Dean Skinns equalled the club record for most shut-outs after the Herd beat the visiting Bracknell Bees 4-0.

Skinns joined Canadian goalie Curtis Cruickshank with a magnificent seven shut-outs each to their names.

Over 1,200 fans witnessed an excellent display from the Herd’s netminder as he turned away all 20 shots the visitors fired at him.

The Bison still without Matt Selby, Joe Baird, Grant Rounding and Brendan Baird were always in control against their local rivals.

Tomas Karpov went close on the opening powerplay of the game in the first minute.

Joe Rand was next to test Bees’ goalie Alex Mettam, who did well to keep the score to 1-0 at the first break.

The only goal of the session was scored by Joe Greener from close range, after he was fed by man-of-the-match Ciaran Long at 6:13.

Soon after, Skinns was called into action to deny both Matt Foord and Lukas Smital.

The Bison’s Karpov then fired just wide and Ryan Watt playing against his former team forced Mettam into a save.

As the period came to a close, a lovely passing move between Greener, Karpov and Doug Sheppard saw another good stop.

The second session was the most even of the contest and Bracknell’s Radek Hubacek forced a save out of Skinns after just 24 seconds.

The Herd then extended their lead as Sheppard found Long at the back post and he fired home at 22:03.

Bracknell hit back with a couple of spells of pressure which saw Jan Bendik’s effort gloved wide by Skinns and then Pavel Strycek’s blue line effort was kicked away.

The Bison came on strong as the session ended and Sheppard released Aaron Connolly with a defence splitting pass, but his shot was saved, Two goals in the space of 64 seconds early in the final period killed off the game.

The first came on the powerplay as Rand skated out of the corner and slotted the puck through the legs of the visiting goalie.

Then before the bumper crowd at Basingstoke Arena had finished their goal celebration, Andy Melachrino made it 4-0 at 46:34.

After this the side’s traded chances, but Bracknell were unable to find a way past Skinns in the home goal as he recorded his second shut-out of the season.

Tonight, the Bison are in action at Altrincham, where they take on the Manchester Phoenix (face-off 5.30pm).